GUNTUR: Thousands of devotees thronged Kotappakonda temple in the early hours of Monday to offer prayers to Lord Trikoteswara Swamy on the occasion of the Maha Sivarathri.Assembly Speaker Kodela Siva Prasada Rao presented silk clothes to Lord Trikoteswara Swamy on behalf of the State government and participated in the special puja along with family members.
The State government has sanctioned `10,000 for offering silk clothes to the Lord. Scores of people reached the hill shrine by chanting ‘Hara Hara Mahadeva’ and offered ‘mokkulu’ for fulfilling their wishes. The devotees offered clothes and ornaments to the Lord on the occasion. Following the centuries-old tradition, many newly-wed couple in and around Kotappakonda village also offered prayers at the temple.
The temple authorities and volunteers served buttermilk and drinking water to pilgrims and helped the old and children to reach the hilltop. As many as 16 huge Prabhalu were brought to the hill shrine by Monday night and hundreds of small ones were brought by villagers in the early hours of Monday. Telugu Desam, YSR Congress and Jana Sena sympathisers brought Prabhalu decorated with party symbols.
Prabhalu, rectangular frames tapering at the top, made of bamboo and decorated with coloured cloth and paper, is the main attraction of the Maha Sivaratri festival at Kotappakonda. Minister P Pulla Rao, Vinukonda MLA GV Anjaneyulu, Narasaraopet MLA Dr G Srinivasa Rao and hundreds of party cadre reached the temple for darshan of Lord Trikoteswara Swamy.