ANANTAPUR: Srisailam temple authorities are making elaborate arrangements for Ugadi. They are expecting more than five lakh devotees to walk to the temple from the Karnataka and Maharashtra borders.
The centuries-old padayatra tradition was suspended during the last two years in view of the Covid-19 pandemic. The devotees who undertake the arduous walk — a part of the route passes through the Nallamalla forests —see Goddess Bramaranbhika of the Srisailam temple as their daughter and Lord Mallikarjuna Swamy as their son-in-law.
A tradition for the devotees is to invite their daughter to their house and offer her sari and other traditional gifts every year on Ugadi.
“Ugadi is celebrated with great fervour by Shiva devotees from North Karnataka and Maharashtra as also those from a few parts of AP and Telangana.
The temple authorities and the Kurnool district administration along with NGOs are providing facilities for the padayatra to devotees en route to Srisailam.
The devotees from Bidar, Kalburagi (Gulbarga), Belgavi (Belgaum) and border towns of Maharashtra walk to Srisailam with kaavadis, bringing their belongings in carts every year.
Srisailam EO Lavanna said necessary facilities are being made for the padayatra devotees at the temple and in Nallamala forest.
