Vizag gears up for ‘Giri Pradakshina’ at Simhachalam Temple on July 20

As the annual ‘Giri Pradakshina’ festival of Sri Varaha Lakshmi Narasimha Swamy temple at Simhachalam is scheduled for July 20, District Collector M N Harendhira Prasad has emphasised the need for meticulous preparations to ensure a seamless and spiritually enriching experience for all participating devotees.
On Friday, the District Collector, accompanied by GVMC Commissioner C M Saikanth Varma,  Joint Collector Mayur Ashok and senior officials from various departments, conducted a comprehensive inspection of key locations along the 32-km Giri Pradakshina trekking route. The inspection focused on critical aspects like road repairs, sanitation facilities, availability of drinking water, uninterrupted electricity supply, deployment of mobile toilets, and designated areas for the traditional coconut-breaking ritual performed by devotees at the commencement of the trek.
The ‘Giri Pradakshina’ is considered highly auspicious by devotees, who will trek approximately 32 km around Simhachalam. According to Devasthanam authorities, the ‘Giri Pradakshina’ will commence around 3 p.m., featuring the ‘Appanna Pushparadham’, a replica of Sri Varaha Lakshmi Narasimha Swamy’s chariot, from ‘Tholi Pavancha’ (downhill). Nevertheless, many devotees begin their trek in the early morning hours.
Anticipating a significant influx of devotees, authorities are implementing elaborate arrangements. The Greater Visakhapatnam Municipal Corporation (GVMC) will establish dedicated counters at Appughar Beach, a popular location for devotees to take a holy dip during the pilgrimage. Lumbini Park will also undergo enhancements, including improved sanitation facilities, upgraded lighting infrastructure, and the installation of additional mobile toilets for the convenience of participants.
Meanwhile, Commissioner of Police Shanka Brata Bagchi conducted a review meeting involving traffic, civil and other police wings at the Police Commissionerate. He instructed personnel to make arrangements so that the public does not face any inconvenience. He asked them to ensure no traffic snarls along the Giri Pradakshina route. He also directed the sta to use body-worn cameras and drones to check the movement of the devotees during the trek. The Commissioner also cautioned about the steps to be taken to ensure there are no drowning deaths at Appughar Beach, where people take a holy dip. Joint Commissioner K. Fakeerappa, Deputy Commissioner of Police B. Lakshmi Narayana and others were present.