A sea of devotees were seen on many stretches along the 32-km route around the Simhachalam hill range on Tuesday evening. The occasion was the annual ‘Giri Pradakshina’ of Sri Varaha Lakshmi Narasimha Swamy, the presiding deity of Simhachalam temple.
Devotees being served snacks in paper plates at a stall on the Simhachalam Giri Pradakshina route, in Visakhapatnam on Tuesday.
| Photo Credit: K.R. DEEPAK
Devotees started their trek after offering prayers to the replica of the deity on the ‘Tholi Pavancha’ (first step of stairs leading to the temple atop the hill). The temple authorities decorated the temple chariot, in which a replica of the deity was kept, with flowers and took it around the streets of Simhachalam for devotees to offer prayers.
Devotees trekked along the BRTS Road towards Hanumanthawaka and Kailasagiri, and many took a dip in the beach and continue their trek towards MVP Colony and back via Seethammadhara, HB Colony and Alluri Seetharama Raju statute. While some continued their trek on the main road parallel highway, many walk on the highway for safety at night.
Devotees were happy with the arrangements made by the temple authorities, GVMC, police and voluntary organisations. Some devotees, who started their trek from the ‘tholi pavancha’ around 1 p.m. reached Sri Bhu Sametha Vijaya Venkateswara Swamy temple at Appayyanagar, beside the Marripalem National Highway, by 7.30 p.m. and offered prayers before continuing their journey. They hoped to reach the tholi pavancha by midnight.
The volunteers, who manned various stalls, showed no sign of exhaustion and welcomed devotees with snacks, water sachets, buttermilk and tea.
The Vizagapatam Chamber of Commerce and Industry (VCCI) Women’s Wing set up a water stall for pilgrims at Mudasarlova. The members supplied water to devotees in steel glasses as plastic glasses were banned by the authorities.
Sri Sathya Sai Seva Organisations (SSSSO s) provided water, buttermilk and snacks to devotees at Arilova and Akkayyapalem. Members of Bhajan Mandals of SSSSO s provided a special oil massage to devotees to relieve them of the foot pain due to walking for several kilometres at a stretch.
“The 32-km trek is significant as there are 32 ‘Narasimha Kshetrams’ in the world. Some devotees circumambulate around the main temple atop the hill for 32 times and it is equal to going on the 32-km trek,” says Ananta Krishnamacharyulu, a retired AEO of Simhachalam Devasthanam.
