Barefooted devotees trek to Srisailam

Atmakuru (Kurnool): As the ensuing Maha Shivaratri falls on Monday, which is said to be auspicious day to offer puja to Lord Shiva, thousands of devotees took up 60-km trekking to Srisailam enroute Nallamala forest. As the time to ‘Lingodbhavam’ is fast approaching, the number of trekkers has been increasing. The forest was reverberating with the chanting of ‘Aumkara’. 

The two-day-journey with devotion started at Atmakuru in Kurnool district will conclude at Srisailam. Devotees, who will be passed through Nagaluti Anjaneya Swamy Temple, Veerabhadraalayam, Golla Mandapam, Kathula Konda, Korkela Konda, Gajjela Konda, Tamarla Kunta will stay at Pecchervu for the night. They will resume their journey in the morning. Passing through the valley of Bheemuni Kolanu, they will reach 2,700 feet Kailasadwaram. 

After crossing the Kailasadwaram, the pilgrims will reach Hatakesharam. There on visiting the Sakshi Ganapathi, they will pray the god to inform his father Lord Shiva about their attendance. After spending 24 hours in forest and visiting 15 historical places, they will reach the destination and will have darshan of Lord Shiva. 

During their journey, at Nagaluti they will take ‘Annaprasadam’, where some of the donors were serving food for the past 23 years. According to the British manuals, the practice of barefoot journey was way back to 600 years. 

The devotees from Karnataka, Maharashtra and Telugu States were participating. The officials were expecting as many as 5 lakh devotees will visit Srisailam without foot wear by trekking Nallamala forest.