Visakhapatnam: The Pyddithallamma Temple in Vizianagaram is gearing up for the Sirimanu Utsavam, an annual festival dedicated to Goddess Pyddithallamma, scheduled for October 13 and 14 following Vijayadasami.
Executive officer of Pyddithallamma Devasthanam D.V. Prasada Rao has requested the introduction of special trains to accommodate devotees traveling from various states. In a letter to Vizag's divisional railway manager (DRM), Prasada Rao sought train services from Telangana, Odisha, Chhattisgarh, and other regions. The DRM has assured him that the request will be forwarded to higher authorities for review.
During the Sirimanu Utsavam, the temple priest performs a procession between the fort and the temple three times each evening while suspended from a 60-foot wooden staff, believed to be possessed by the goddess. The festival attracts two to three lakh devotees from neighboring towns and villages. Local authorities and leaders in Vizianagaram manage the event, and APSRTC operates approximately 250 buses from various parts of the state to transport attendees.
