Cool weather leads all roads to Yadadri, temple brims over

Hyderabad: With a dip in mercury and the end of summer vacation, the Yadagirigutta temple witnessed an unprecedented heavy rush on Sunday, with temple authorities estimating that nearly 60,000 to 80,000 worshippers had darshan of Lord Sri Lakshmi Narasimha Swamy. Usually, the footfall of worshippers during the weekends is about 40,000 to 50,000, but this Sunday saw the numbers double. All the queue lines in the queue complex on the hilltop were packed with worshippers from the wee hours. As a result, on average, it took 4 to 5 hours for ‘sarva darshan’, and for VIP and break darshan, worshippers waited for at least two to three hours. Parking areas were completely packed with hundreds of vehicles, and at least another 1,000 vehicles were parked on the roads due to the lack of adequate space. The Yadagirigutta bus station was choked with a huge rush of passengers from 6am onwards.

Goddess Lairai worshippers find trove of divine sculptures in Sattaris sacred grove

Devotees at Dabe in Sattari discovered ancient stone sculptures of Goddess Lairai, Sateri, and Kelbai during the annual jatra in the Mauxi panchayat. The sculptures were hidden by locals during the Portuguese conquest to protect them. The sculptures include Mahishasuramardini, Gajalaxmi, Brahmani, and a Ganapati sculpture.

30-hour wait time for darshan at Tirumala

Tirupati's Lord Venkateswara temple faced over 30-hour waiting times due to summer rush. Hundi collection stayed low despite increased pilgrim visits, contrasting pre-election period in Andhra Pradesh. Queue lines extended to Sila Thoranam, Vaikuntam Q complex, and accommodation reception counters. Long lines were also observed at Kalyanakatta tonsure centres, laddu counters, and Nithyannadanam free food canteen.

VIP darshan ban for Char Dham Yatra amid huge crowd: Uttarakhand chief secretary

Uttarakhand's Chief Secretary, Radha Raturi, extends VIP darshan prohibition until May end for Char Dham Yatra pilgrims. No videography or social media content within 50m of temple complexes. Directives issued to ensure smooth access and enhance the pilgrimage experience.