KURNOOL: Srisailam will go into festive mode as Sankranti festivities will start from January 12 and end on January 18. The festivities are performed on the occasion of Makara Sankramanam. These are organised for a period of seven days with Panchahnika Deeksha in the month of Pushyam (the 10th month of Telugu calendar) which falls in the month of January.

The utsavams begin with Dhwajarohana and end with the Dhwajavarohana. In this celebrations various special rituals like Mandaparadhanalu, Mulamantra japanushtanalu, Rudrahomam, Pushpotsavam, Sayanotsavam, Panchavaranarchanalu etc., are performed as per custom. The special feature of these celebrations is that on the Sankranthi day the Kalyanotsavam, like the marriage of God Mallikarjuna Swamy, is performed with goddess Parvathi Devi.





The temple executive officer N. Barath Gupta said they have made all arrangements and are to ready to start the seven-day festival in a grand manner. Nearly 3 lakhs pilgrims visited the temple during the Brahmotsavams and during above utsavam days, there is no sparsa (touching) darsanam and Arjitha Sevas, EO said.

The seven days programme:

January 12 - celebrations start with Yagasala along with Vighneswara puja at 8.45 AM,
January 13: Bhrungi Vahana Seva
January14 - Ravana Vahana Seva,
January 15 - Nandi Vahana Seva,
January 16- Pushpa Vahana Seva,
January 17 - No vahana seva due to Purnahuthi, January 18 - Ashwa Vahana Seva.