Nagarkurnool: Saleshwaram Jathara commences

This year, the department has deployed over 100 volunteers from local Chenchus tribes for clearing waste, especially plastic dumped in the forests and monitoring vehicular and pilgrim traffic.

Nagarkurnool: It is that time of the year when the serene environs of Nallamalla forests in Lingala mandal buzz with activity as the annual three-day Saleshwaram jatara of Lord Shiva commenced here on Monday.

“Om Namah Shivaya” chanting reverberated with devotees arriving in from different places to seek darshan of the lord. In addition to those from Telangana, many devotees from neighbouring States of Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka and Maharashtra visit the place.

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As a result, considerably heavy traffic was witnessed in the deep jungle after entering from the Farhabad entry point on the Srisailam – Hyderabad route.

Devotees reach the temple from Farhabad end via Nizam Rest House and park their vehicles at Rampur Chenchupenta and trek four kms to reach the temple. However, the devotees rush poses a few challenges, including traffic and waste management for the forest department.

This year, the department has deployed over 100 volunteers from local Chenchus tribes for clearing waste, especially plastic dumped in the forests and monitoring vehicular and pilgrim traffic.

Last year about 14,000 kgs of plastic waste was collected during the three-day jathara.

This year, emphasis was being laid on clearing the waste on a daily basis and the volunteers have been engaged for five days for the task, Amrabad FDO Rohit Gopidi said. Further, cloth bags were being distributed for the devotees to carry water bottles and others and to avoid use of plastic bags. Similarly, voluntary organisations offering free food to the devotees have been specifically asked to serve the food in plantain leaves or traditional leaf plates sourced from local Chencus, he said.

This apart, shop owners setting up stalls have been asked to deposit amount as security deposit. This amount would be refunded to them after the jathara only after they clear the waste around their stalls. Ecotourism proposed from June 15 With the devotees rush increasing every year at Saleshwaram, the forest department is proposing to conduct ecotourism trips to the temple from June 15 this year.

This was basically being planned to avoid the heavy rush during the three-day jathara and facilitate devotees to have darshan of the lord on regular basis, said Amrabad FDO Rohit Gopidi.

The department would be collecting nominal charges from the devotees for the trips. The devotees would be led by local chenchu guides and the trip would include food as well. Apart from the devotees’ perspective, the move would generate some livelihood for the local Chenchus, he added.