Rajulapudi Srinivas

Devotees throng Bara Saheed Dargah to offer prayers

NELLORE: Thousands of devotees thronged the city to offer ‘mokkus’ (prayers) in the annual ‘Rottela Panduga’ which started at Bara Saheed dargah, on the banks of Nellore Cheruvu on Monday.

The Municipal, Revenue, APTransco and Wakf Board officials and the festival committee members made elaborate arrangements for the traditional festival. The Bara Shaheed dargah was spruced up for the fete and the city wore a festive look with the traders setting up clothes, toys, bangles, books, sweets and fruits shops.

Information centres, police outpost and medical camps were arranged and a mini exhibition with entertainment events for children and ethnic food stalls was set up on either sides of the road at the dargah.

The tank bund was illuminated for the fete and irrespective of caste and community, thousands of pilgrims were seen visiting the dargah on the first day on Monday.

Pilgrims were seen taking holy dip in the cheruvu and offering prayers in the historical dargah. Serpentine queues were seen at the tombs to pay tributes to the twelve war martyrs at the shrine.

Devotees from neighbouring districts and States were reaching the city to offer ‘mokkus’ and have a glimpse of the colourful fete. The police made heavy bandobust to avoid any untoward incidents at the dargah and imposed traffic restrictions for the convenience of pilgrims.

There was a heavy rush was seen at bus stations and the APSRTC operated special buses for the festival.