Thousands flock to Simhachalam for Nijaroopa Darshanam

Collector personally oversaw crowd management throughout the day, coordinating efforts to ensure smooth movement of queues & minimise inconvenience

- USHA PERI @ Visakhapatnam

THE annual Chandanotsavam festival was observed with traditional fervour at the Sri Varaha Lakshmi Narasimha Swamy temple in Simhachalam on Wednesday.

Celebrated on the occasion of Akshaya Tritiya, Chandanotsavam is the only day in the year when devotees are allowed to have the Nijaroopa Darshanam of the deity, as the thick layer of sandalwood paste covering the idol is ceremoniously removed.

Despite intermittent rainfall, thousands of devotees from Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Odisha, and neighbouring states gathered to witness the Nijaroopa Darshanam, where the deity was presented without the customary layer of sandalwood paste.