Chandanotsavam arrangements draw criticism at Simhachalam temple

Several arrangements announced for the annual Chandanotsavam festival at Simhachalam temple on Monday were not fully implemented. This led to crowding, confusion, and complaints from devotees. However, those who attended the Nija Rupa darshan said they had a better experience this year.

Officials from the Endowments Department and temple administration had reviewed preparations for weeks. They held meetings, inspected facilities, and promised better crowd management. But many of those plans were not seen on the ground.

A separate queue was announced for protocol darshan ticket holders paying ₹1,500 each. But many of them entered through the VIP queue in groups. This caused heavy congestion near the Niladrigummam gate. A minor scuffle was also reported.

Devotees inside the sanctum sanctorum were unable to exit smoothly. This created delays and increased tension. Entry into the Antralayam was affected for some time. The situation improved after the protocol darshans ended.

Authorities had said fewer than 150 private vehicles would be allowed on the hilltop. But hundreds of vehicles reportedly reached the temple without passes. This went against the earlier announcement.

The ticket scanning system at queue entrances also faced criticism. Emergency exit points were meant only for urgent cases. But some officials allegedly used them to send relatives and friends for darshan. Since tickets were not checked there, some devotees re-entered the queues.

The ₹300 and ₹1,000 ticket queues had low turnout till the afternoon. Later, crowd pressure increased. Some free darshan devotees were moved to the ₹300 queue to reduce congestion.

Although the overall turnout was lower than in previous years, many devotees who attended the Nija Rupa darshan said they had a smoother and more comfortable darshan this year.