KARIMNAGAR: Lakhs of devotees thronged the renowned Sri Rajarajeswara Swamy temple here on Wednesday to celebrate Maha Shivaratri with religious fervour and joy.According to the Hindu calendar, the festival falls in the month of Margasira and witnessed a massive turnout of devotees from across the region. Priests performed various rituals throughout the day, including ‘Rudrabhishekam’, ‘Shivapooja’, ‘Bilvaarchana’ for Lord Shiva, and ‘Kumkumarchana’ for Goddess Parvathi Devi.A major highlight of the festivities was the Kalyanam (marriage) ceremony of Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvathi Devi, conducted with great devotion at the temple. Continuing a longstanding tradition, officials from Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams presented silk clothes and Talambralu to the deities. Backward class welfare minister Ponnam Prabhakar also offered silk clothes on behalf of the state government.In preparation for the festival, the temple complex received a decorative overhaul with a budget of ₹2 crore. Surrounding shrines and the main temple were adorned with vibrant lights, while special counters were set up for the distribution of prasadam, including five lakh laddus prepared for devotees.To maintain cleanliness, around 500 sanitation workers from nearby municipalities — such as Siricilla, Siddipet, and Kamareddy — were deployed to assist the regular temple staff. On the transportation front, the RTC provided 780 buses — 130 more than the previous year — from key hubs like Hyderabad, Secunderabad, Warangal, and Karimnagar. Fourteen free shuttle buses have also been arranged to ferry devotees between Tippapur Bus Stand and the temple parking area.Security was a top priority during the celebrations. Under the guidance of District SP Akhil Mahajan, about 2,000 police personnel were stationed across the temple grounds, while approximately 1,000 CCTV cameras were installed to monitor busy intersections and crowded spots. A dedicated command control room was set up for real-time oversight, and authorities urged devotees to contact emergency helplines, including Dial 100, if needed.
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