Mahashivaratri: Devotees express anger over giving preference to VIPs at Keesaragutta temple
Devotees criticize officials’ apathetic attitude at Keesaragutta temple
Hyderabad: Devotees expressed anger over the district administration in making proper arrangements to ensure hassle-free darshan for devotees visiting the famous Keesaragutta Sri Ramalingeshwara Swamy temple on account of Mahashivaratri on Wednesday and giving preference to only VIPs.
Irate devotees criticized the district administration and the endowments department officials for giving preference to only VIPs and ignoring other devotees standing in queue for hours to have darshan of the Lord Shiva.
A devotee went to the extent of tearing the make-shift ‘veduru’ sheets shed put up for the convenience of police personnel. Vexed with the apathetic attitude of officials on duty at the temple, a woman devotee squatted at the entrance near the temple and registered her protest saying that she could not enter the temple even after waiting for five hours after purchasing a Rs.500 special darshan ticket.
Though the police officials tried to pacify her, she did not relent. But after much persuasion assuring quick darshan, she relented bringing much needed relief for officials. Long serpentine queue of devotees has been witnessed at the temple since morning.
The district administration and endowment department officials claimed that elaborate arrangements were made for the convenience of devotees. But the devotees faced hardships in not only visiting the temple and standing in queue for long hours.