Maha Kumbhabhishekam at 1000-year-old Kanipakam temple on Sunday

TIRUPATI: The temple town of Kanipakam is all set for conduct of Maha Kumbhabhishekam at the sacred temple of Lord Varasidhi Vinayaka Swamy in Irala mandal of Chittoor district on Sunday.

The temple administration has made elaborate arrangements for the Samprokshanam, marking the inauguration of renovation and new construction works at the temple, the history of which dates back to 1,000 years. The renovation of the temple was undertaken at a cost of Rs 10 crore last year and the funds were mobilised by the Kanipakam Devasthanams through donations.

Chittoor district collector M. Hari Narayanan, along with superintendent of police Y. Rishanth Reddy and temple executive officer Suresh Babu, on Saturday reviewed the arrangements made for the Maha Kumbhabhishekam event. The collector has instructed the district administration to make fool-proof arrangements for Sunday’s event.

He asked the temple body to deploy sufficient numbers of temple staff and ensure that the darshan queue lines were managed properly and devotees must have a hassle-free darshan. He directed the officials to provide devotees with drinking water, buttermilk and a proper shelter in the queue lines. He told the officials to put up sign boards for parking places, way to darshan and has directed them to make alternative arrangements, besides setting up complexes for devotees waiting for darshan.

Vinayaka Swamy temple trust board chairman A. Mohan Reddy said that over 50,000 devotees from across the country are expected to take part in the Maha Kumbhabhishekam on Sunday. He said all arrangements have been made for successful conduct of the fete and the temple body also prepared to serve free meals to devotees round-the-clock on the occasion under the Nitya Annadanam scheme.

The temple chairman hailed NRIs I. Ravi and K. Srinivas, who are currently residing in the United States of America, for donating Rs 10 crore towards reconstruction of the temple. He said the temple body also readied a golden chariot for the presiding deity in coordination with the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams.