Sea of Devotees Throngs Simhachalam Temple on Ashada Pournami
GVMC Commissioner Ketan Garg said as per the AI-powered facial recognition system installed at the temple, 3.17 lakh devotees had had their darshan by 1:30 a.m. on Thursday.
Visakhapatnam: On the sacred occasion of Ashada Pournami, Simhachalam Hill transformed into a sea of devotees, as lakhs of pilgrims turned up, including those who undertook the revered Giri Pradakshina, a 32-kilometre arduous circumambulation of Simhagiri abode of Lord Varaha Lakshmi Narasimha Swamy.
Temple priests performed special rituals during the early hours of Thursday, which culminated into the final ceremonial offering of the season. Priests applied 125 kilogrammes of sandalwood paste, infused with aromatic spices, to the presiding deity.
As the dawn broke, weary, yet resolute, devotees who completed the overnight trek received the darshan of the Lord. Temple authorities arranged a shorter Pradakshina within the temple premises for those unable to complete the full circuit.
The heavy rush led to choking of the five-kilometre stretch leading to Simhachalam with pilgrims. Hanumantawaka and Vepagunta junctions turned into major bottlenecks. Traffic snarls overwhelmed the police personnel, while the elderly and children struggled under the oppressive heat.
GVMC Commissioner Ketan Garg said as per the AI-powered facial recognition system installed at the temple, 3.17 lakh devotees had had their darshan by 1:30 a.m. on Thursday.
