Temples, churches gear up for the New Year celebrations
Special prayers, watch night services, and festive arrangements welcome the New Year
Hyderabad: Temples and churches across the state have geared up for the New Year celebrations on Thursday. While Churches held watch night services on the intervening night of Wednesday and Thursday, temples made elaborate arrangements for devotees to offer prayers on the first day of the year.
The TTD Venkateswara Swamy Temple in Himayathnagar has made elaborate arrangements for queue lines, laddu counters, and water facilities. “Since it’s the first day of the New Year, we are anticipating a heavy rush in the temple. We will also be distributing new calendars,” said Niranjan, a TTD official.
Yadagirigutta Lakshminarasimha Swamy Temple, Komuravelli Mallanna Swamy Temple, Dharmapuri Lakshmi Narasimha Swamy Temple, and Alampur Jogulamba Temple are also continuing the special arrangements made for Vaikunta Ekadashi for devotees.
Jogulamba Temple executive officer Deepthi Reddy said a large number of devotees are expected to visit the temple, as it is the only Shakti Peeta in the state, to seek the blessings and darshan of the goddess for their well-being and prosperity.
Churches have begun New Year prayers on Wednesday night. Staff at Rockchurch, Asmangadh, said watch night services were held on Wednesday. Testimony sharing and blanket distribution, which began on Christmas Eve, continued, they said, adding that special morning services, along with meet-and-greet programmes, are scheduled for Thursday.
