Swami Swaroopananda, devotees angry over shabby arrangements at Simhachalam temple

SHIMHACHALAM: Devotees, who flocked to Simhachalam Appanna Swamy temple near Visakhapatnam on Sunday for a Nijaroopa Darshanam of Lord Varaha Lakshmi Narasimha Swamy as part of Chandanotsavam, expressed dissatisfaction over the poor arrangements and the negligence of the temple authorities.

The devotees complained that they were forced to stand in the long queue for several hours despite taking darshan tickets of Rs 1,500.

Visakhapatnam Sarada Peetam seer Swaroopanandendra Saraswati also expressed frustration at the poor arrangements after visiting the Simhachalam temple. Stating that he had never witnessed such a worst show by the Simhachalam temple officials in arrangements, Swaroopanandendra Saraswati said that darshans were taking a long time. He fumed at the authorities for not providing adequate arrangements.

He said that the presiding deity Appanna Swamy belonged to the poor people and alleged that the authorities were ignoring the devotees from the poorer sections and serving the VIPS. He said that he was moved by the hardships of the hapless devotees.

Earlier in the morning, presiding deity Varaha Lakshmi Narasimha Swamy appeared to devotees in Nijaroopa Darshanam as part of Chandanotsavam. The devotees flocked to the temple in large numbers on Sunday right from 3 am. The priests, after performing rituals, had allowed the first darshan for the temple trustee Pusalapati Ashok Gajapati Raju and his family members.