Devotees offer prayers at hill shrine

Thousands of devotees from various parts of Andhra Pradesh, Odisha and Chhattisgarh thronged the Varaha Lakhsmi Narasimha Swamy hill shrine here to offer prayers Tuesday.

The Chandanotsavam or the Nijaroopa Darshanam Day is an annual ritual conducted at the temple and it is only on this day thatdevotees would have a chance to see the actual shape of the Lord (Nirjaroopam).

On normal days, the deity is covered with a layer of 'Chandanam' (Sandalwood paste).

It is on Chandanotsavam day that the sandalwood paste is removed and the deity is covered with a fresh layer of sandalwood paste brought from Andhra Pradesh, Chennai and other places.

Devotees visit the shrine to have darshan of the Lord in his true form.

After 'suprabhatam' early Tuesday, temple priests removed the sandalwood paste using small gold and silver spades.

'Abhishekam' wasperformed with water from Gangadhara (water from a natural stream that flows down the Simhachala hills 24 x7 throughout the year).

Family members of the temple hereditary trustee P Ashok Gajapathi Rajuhad darshan in the early hours.

Later, temple administration officialspresented silk clothes to the deity on behalf of the state government.

Police had made elaborate arrangements to maintain law and order during the festival.