Latest news with #SimhachalamGiriPradakshina
Time of India
08-07-2025
- Time of India
Simhachalam Giri Pradakshina to attract lakhs of devotees
: The port city is gearing up for the highly anticipated Simhachalam Giri Pradakshina, a spiritual walk of devotion that attracts lakhs of devotees every year. The event, which will take place on Wednesday, involves a 32 km walk around the Simhachalam hill, starting and ending at Tholipavancha, the foothill of Simhachalam. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now The route passes through various locations, including Adavivaram, Central Prison, Mudasarlova, Health City, Hanumanthawaka, Venkojipalem, HB Colony, Muralinagara, Madhavadhara, NSTL, Gopalapatnam, Prahladapuram, and Gosala. The district administration and temple management are expecting around five to six lakh devotees to participate in the event, and extensive arrangements have been made to ensure their safety and convenience. Around 3,000 police personnel from various districts, including the city police commissionerate, Anakapalli, Alluri Sitarama Raju district, Vizianagaram, and Srikakulam, have been deployed for security and traffic management duties. The spiritual walk is an act of pure devotion, with devotees mostly walking barefoot and chanting Lord Vishnu's name throughout the night. The district collector, Harendira Prasad, has stated that arrangements have been made for around six lakh people, including 35 medical camps and 10 ambulances. The devotees will be allowed to have a holy bath at the Appughar area, with 50 expert swimmers and a few boats stationed in the waters for safety. Following a tragic wall collapse incident during the Chandanotsavam in April this year, which resulted in the deaths of seven devotees, and a shed collapse a couple of days ago, the district administration and temple management have taken extra precautions to ensure the safety of the devotees. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Mobile toilets, drinking water facilities, medical camps, and temporary shelters have been set up along the 32 km route. The Greater Visakhapatnam Municipal Corporation (GVMC) is focused on street lighting and sanitation to ensure the safety and hygiene of the devotees. Various voluntary organizations are involved in community service by setting up Prasadam, Annadanam stalls, water, buttermilk, and refreshments. The city police commissioner, Sankabrata Bagchi, has stated that the entire route will be under CCTV surveillance, linked to the command control centre. Devotees can rest at the holding points, and if they need any help, they can contact the police or use the Astram App. With these arrangements in place, the Simhachalam Giri Pradakshina is expected to be a successful and memorable event for the devotees.
Time of India
05-07-2025
- General
- Time of India
Shed collapse raises safety concerns at Simhachalam
Visakhapatnam: A major accident was narrowly avoided at Simhachalam in Visakhapatnam. A shed made of metal sheets, which was being erected for the annual 'Giri Pradakshina' at Tholi Pavancha (located at the foothills), collapsed unexpectedly. According to sources, the incident occurred because the poles supporting the shed lacked a concrete foundation, leading to an overload that caused the structure to give way. Fortunately, no one was beneath the shed at the time, preventing what could have been a serious disaster. This incident comes shortly after a tragic wall collapse at the Simhachalam temple in April, which resulted in the deaths of seven devotees. That collapse occurred during the annual Chandanotsavam festivalwhen a wall adjacent to the queue gave way after becoming saturated with heavy rainfall. Meanwhile, district collector M N Harendhira Prasad stated that the Simhachalam Giri Pradakshina programme, scheduled for July 9 and 10, would be conducted successfully through coordinated efforts. With an expected turnout of around 5 to 6 lakh devotees, 132 drinking water points , 500 temporary toilets, six control rooms and 32 medical camps linked to 18 hospitals have been set up. Shed collapse incident comes shortly after a tragic wall collapse at the Simhachalam temple in May, which resulted in the deaths of seven devotees at the famous shrine
