Lakhs of Pilgrims Take Part in Simhachalam Giri Pradakshina

Lakhs of devotees from Andhra Pradesh and neighbouring states participated in the annual Simhachalam Giri Pradakshina, one of the states most revered spiritual events, held on the occasion of Ashada Pournami. The pilgrimage was conducted peacefully with elaborate security and civic arrangements put in place by the district administration. Devotees undertook the 32-km barefoot trek around the sacred Simhachalam hill, offering prayers to Sri Varaha Lakshmi Narasimha Swamy. Pilgrims from Telangana, Odisha, Chhattisgarh and other parts of the country joined the annual yatra, highlighting its religious significance and widespread appeal. The sacred procession began at the foothills of Simhachalam and passed through Adavivaram, Hanumanthawaka, Appughar, Venkojipalem, Muralinagar, Gopalapatnam and several other localities before concluding at the temple. Throughout the journey, devotees chanted hymns and prayers as they completed the traditional circumambulation of the hill. The district administration, police and temple authorities made comprehensive arrangements to ensure the smooth conduct of the event. Security personnel were deployed across the route, while traffic diversions were enforced to regulate vehicular movement and facilitate the safe passage of pilgrims. Drinking water, medical camps, ambulances, sanitation facilities, mobile toilets and help centres were provided at various locations for the convenience of devotees. Senior officials monitored the arrangements throughout the pilgrimage to ensure safety and effective crowd management. Temple staff and volunteers also assisted devotees along the route, contributing to the successful and incident-free conduct of the annual event.