Thousands Witness Lord Simhadri Appanna’s Annual Darshan
The ritual coincided with Vaisakha Shuddha Tadiya Parva and commenced at 1:00 a.m. with Suprabhata Seva, followed by special pujas.
Visakhapatnam: The sacred Simhachalam temple unveiled the true form of Lord Varaha Lakshmi Narasimha Swamy during Wednesday’s grand Chandanotsavam (sandalwood festival). Nearly 1.5 lakh devotees thronged the ancient shrine for the rare annual darshan, where the deity’s actual form is revealed following the removal of the sandalwood paste that enshrouds it throughout the year.
The ritual coincided with Vaisakha Shuddha Tadiya Parva and commenced at 1:00 a.m. with Suprabhata Seva, followed by special pujas.
Pusapati Ashok Gajapathiraju, hereditary trustee of the temple, had the honour of the first darshan. General devotees were allowed entry from around 2:30 a.m.
Revenue Minister Satya Prasad presented silk garments on behalf of the state government. Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) also offered garments to the deity.
To manage the massive turnout, temple authorities enforced extensive security, including CCTV surveillance. Access to Simhagiri hill was restricted, and special buses ferried pilgrims. Every devotee received free laddu prasadam.
The sacred hill echoed with chants of “Govinda” as pilgrims queued from early morning, many considering the darshan especially auspicious. As per temple tradition, the deity will remain visible until covered again with around 12 manugus of sandalwood paste.
