State Endowments Minister Anam Ramnarayana Reddy has said that all arrangements for the annual event of Chandanotsavam will be completed by April 16.
The Minister, who participated in a review meeting held at the Collectorate on April 11 along with Home Minister Anitha and District In-Charge Minister Dola Sri Bala Veeranjaneya Swamy, said the normal darshan of the Lord would be stopped after 7 a.m. on April 19 to facilitate hassle-free darshan for devotees on the Chandanotsavam day on April 20.
According to the Minister, the auspicious day will start with the presentation of silk clothes by the family members of Ashok Gajapathi Raju, hereditary trustee of the temple, in the early hours, followed by darshan of the Lord by VIPs. There will be a special darshan for the aged and the physically challenged persons.
Devotees have been advised to visit the temple according to the time slot and park their vehicles in the allotted area. Each queue line will accommodate 21,000 devotees.
The Minister said volunteers should be identified for the distribution of buttermilk, biscuits and drinking water to devotees. Over 1.40 lakh devotees had a darshan last year, and the number would go up by 35 per cent this year, he said.
Anitha said that the officials concerned should take steps for the hassle-free darshan for devotees, keeping in view the past experiences.
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This article is written by Senior Journalist Lakkoju Nagesh Babu.