Hyderabad: It wasn’t very easy for commoners visiting the Chandi Yagam at Erravalli village on Wednesday given the sheer number of devotees and the scale of arrangements.
Ordinary visitors had to park more than a km from the venue and walk barefoot as the police asked them to leave their footwear (and also mobile phones) in the vehicles. For the old and the infirm, walking that distance barefoot was quite trying.
Meanwhile, there was also an issue with lack of water in the women’s washrooms, which was rectified by TRS leaders. “We went round Erravalli village before finding a parking space. We had to trek barefoot for over a km to reach the venue. They could have allowed us to get dropped a little nearer to the venue,” complained an aged Mr Shivaiah.
Another woman from Sircilla, while appreciating the yagam, complained about VIPs getting special treatment. “It seems everyone is not equal before god. VIPs are given royal treatment while we are pushed,” she said.
Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao has sent out around 40,000 invites to sarpanches and other dignitaries. However, barring ministers, legislators and other bigwigs, even the invitation cards were of no use. Some who carried the invites were disallowed direct access to the yagashala by the police and had to join the common devotees.
But despite these hiccups, most visitors — especially women — left with a smile after receiving laddus, vermillion boxes and saris at the kumkumarchana venue. The food was also appreciated by everyone.
