Lakhs of devotees to take part in ‘Giri Pradakshina' today
Popularly known as 'Giri Pradakshina', this time, the annual Simhachalam Giri Pradakshina mahotsavam is celebrated on July 9 (Wednesday).
Speaking about the festival arrangements, executive officer (EO) of the Devasthanam Vendra Trinadha Rao said that elaborate arrangements have been made in view of the devotees leaving from Simhachalam Tholipavancha on Wednesday for their onward trek.
At 2 pm, the Pushparatham with the idol of Lord Sri Varaha Lakshmi Narasimha Swamy will commence from Tholipavancha at the Simhachalam downhill.
The chariot will be flagged off by the hereditary trustee of the temple, Pusapati Ashok Gajapathi Raju. Lakhs of devotees will take part in 'Giri Pradakshina' along with the chariot.
The 32-km Giri Pradakshina, which starts from Tholipavancha, passes through Old Adivivaram, Arilova, Mudasarlova, Hanumanthawaka, Visalakshi Nagar, Jodugullapalem, Appughar, MVP colony, Venkojipalem, Isukathota, HB Colony, Seethamadhara, Alluri statue, Balayya Sastri Layout, Port Stadium, Kancharapalem, Madhavadhara, Murali Nagar, NAD Junction, Gopalapatnam bunk, Prahladapuram, Old Goshala junction and returns to Tolipavancha.
As part of the festival, the last phase of the sandalwood offering will be held on July 10. About 125-kg of 'Srigandham' was prepared by mixing assorted spices to offer to the presiding deity of Simhachalam.
An opportunity will be provided for devotees, who cannot take up the 32-km Giri Pradakshina, to circumambulate the temple. As part of it, devotees will be allowed to circumambulate at the temple from 3 am in the morning.
According to chief priest G Srinivasacharyulu, circumambulating the temple 108 times gives equal result to trekking 32-km-long route. For the convenience of the devotees, ramps are being set up at the North gopuram and South gopuram.
The EO informed that free transport facilities have been provided to the devotees who complete the temple pradakshina on July 10 to help them travel from uphill to downhill.
Special measures are taken for sanitation maintenance along the 'metla margam' and at various places on the uphill. The EO said that chairs and carpets will be facilitated for the devotees to take rest in between at special stalls in 29 places all along the Giri Pradakshina route.
Meanwhile, GVMC commissioner Ketan Garg informed that helpline and toll-free numbers have been set up by the corporation for the convenience of devotees participating in the Giri Pradakshina. The Commissioner stated that during the Giri Pradakshina of Sri Varaha Lakshmi Narasimha Swamy at Simhachalam, lakhs of devotees undertake the 32-km-long trek. For their convenience, GVMC has arranged a helpline number 0891-2507225 and a toll-free number 1800-4250-0009 and festival activities will be monitored from the city operation centre.
In addition, GVMC made arrangements, such as drinking water, toilets, lighting, and medical camps along the route. The Commissioner appealed to the devotees to make use of these facilities, and in case of any obstacles in arrangements or emergencies, the devotees are asked to contact the toll-free or helpline numbers for prompt assistance.
A number of NGOs teamed up to offer services to the devotees trekking along the 32-km-longstretch.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Hindu
3 days ago
- The Hindu
3.20 lakh devotees take part in Simhachalam ‘Giri Pradakshina'
The 'Giri Pradakshina' festival of the Sri Varaha Lakshmi Narasimha Swamy temple witnessed a massive turnout of devotees this year, with people from across Uttarandhra region participating in the circumambulation of the Simhachalam Hill on July 9 and 10. The Greater Visakhapatnam Municipal Corporation (GVMC) officials, who used AI-based tools to estimate the crowd, said that by 1:30 a.m. on Thursday, approximately 3.20 lakh devotees participated in the pilgrimage. The Simhachalam Devasthanam officials and the police said that the crowd surged in the evening on Wednesday. Many began their journey around 8 p.m. from Tholi Pavancha, with the traditional coconut-breaking ritual. Devotees walked through the night along the city lanes, aiming to return to Simhachalam by Thursday morning. While some completed the 32-km trek in 10 to 12 hours, others took longer. The devotees were seen resting along the footpaths, taking brief breaks during the 32-km trek. Vehicular traffic flow was severely affected, particularly on the stretch from Hanumanthawaka Junction to Maddilapalem, late Wednesday night. Vehicles were stuck in long queues, moving at a snail's pace, with the devotees occupying the road. Some citizens complained that they had not seen such heavy congestion in recent times. The police worked tirelessly through the night to manage the crowd and regulate traffic flow, continuing their efforts until early Thursday morning. Sanitation workers played a crucial role in maintaining hygiene after the religious event. Heaps of garbage piled up in colonies. Cleanliness activities began in the early hours, with garbage trucks deployed by 8 a.m. to clear the trash. Bleaching powder was also sprinkled in many areas to maintain the hygiene.
Hans India
3 days ago
- Hans India
‘Giri Pradakshina' turns out to be ‘galla-brimming' fete for auto drivers
Visakhapatnam: For auto-rickshaw drivers, 'Giri Pradakshina' turned out to be a 'galla-brimming' festival. From Wednesday midnight to Thursday noon, the auto-drivers were busy fleecing the devotees by charging unbelievable rates for each trip. Lakhs of devotees arrived at Simhachalam for 'Giri Pradakshina', commencing their trek right from the wee hours of Wednesday. The festival drew devotees not just from Visakhapatnam but also from neighbouring districts and states as well. Approximately, 7 lakh to 8 lakh devotees took part in the Giri Pradakshina this year. Barring the deployed fleet of RTC buses that were plying in full capacities, the transport facility provided for the festival failed to cater to such a massive turnout. This prompted many devotees to board auto-rickshaws to reach their destinations. Cashing in on the demand, auto-rickshaw drivers demanded exorbitant rates from the passengers. After completing a long tiring trek under the scorching sun, G Madhavi, who works as a housemaid, was desperate to reach home. 'I was shocked when the auto-rickshaw driver demanded Rs.600 to drop me from Ghosala to HB Colony,' she mentioned. However, with no other mode of transport coming in handy, Madhavi was left with no other choice than to travel in the auto-rickshaw. Sharing a similar experience, Mahesh Patro, another devotee from Odisha who completed the 32-km-long trek, said, 'I paid Rs.1,000 to get dropped to Visakhapatnam railway station from Simhachalam. As I had to catch the train, I ended up paying the amount charged by the auto driver.' Most auto-rickshaws along the Simhachalam route were seen overloaded with not less than 10 passengers per trip, both on Giri Pradakshina day and the following day. In the meantime, netizens took to social media platforms to share traffic woes experienced as several locations, including Hanumanthawaka, Vepagunta and Simhachalam, witnessed traffic snarls.
Time of India
3 days ago
- Time of India
Eight lakh devotees take part in Simhachalam Giri Pradakshina
1 2 3 Visakhapatnam : A staggering 8 lakh devotees participated in the Giri Pradakshina, a 32-kilometer spiritual walk around Sri Varaha Lakshmi Narasimha Swamy's temple on Simhachalam Hill in Visakhapatnam. Despite the massive turnout, which doubled compared to previous years, the event proceeded without any untoward incidents. The temple management extended Narasimha Swamy's darshan timing to 10:30 pm on Wednesday and initiated darshan at 3:30 am on Thursday to accommodate the increasing number of devotees. Devotees unable to complete the 32-km trek were offered pradakshina within the temple from early Thursday morning until afternoon. At Tholi Pavancha, lakhs of coconuts were piled up, and the temple management arranged 60 queue lines for devotees to break coconuts before commencing their walk. However, due to the sheer number of devotees, many broke coconuts on the road and proceeded with their Giri Pradakshina. The event was not without its challenges, as traffic congestion became a major issue. Devotees and the general public were trapped in traffic jams at Isukathota, Venkojipalem, Hanumanthawaka junctions, and other areas, leading to vehicles being stuck for two to three hours. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Is it legal? How to get Internet without paying a subscription? Techno Mag Learn More Undo Traffic restrictions necessitated parking vehicles five to six km away from the temple, increasing the Giri Pradakshina distance to over 40 kilometers for thousands of devotees. Despite the chaos, the temple management and authorities ensured a hassle-free experience for the devotees. The Greater Visakhapatnam Municipal Corporation (GVMC) authorities used artificial intelligence-based facial recognition technology to track the number of devotees accurately. Drones hovered overhead to check for stampedes, and geo-tags were placed on children's hands to prevent them from getting lost. A senior police officer estimated that around 8 lakh devotees took part in the Giri Pradakshina and acknowledged that managing the roads without traffic restrictions would have been impossible. The priests conducted special rituals and offered approximately 125 kilograms of sandalwood mixed with fragrant substances to the deity early on Thursday morning. Executive officer Vendra Trinadharao expressed gratitude to all officials, staff, and contributors for the successful completion of the Giri Pradakshina, which was completed peacefully and incident-free with the deity's blessings.
