Vijayawada, August 13, 2021: Union Home Minister Amit Shah and his wife Sonal Shah worshiped at the Bhramaramba Mallikarjuna Swamy Devasthanam and later visited the Shivaji Spoorthi Kenram nearby on Thursday afternoon during their one-hour stay at the temple on hill-top. Srisailam is a Jyothirling and one of the 12 in the country and it is also a Shakti Peeth.
Amid tight security, the Union Home Minister arrived at the temple at 1.05 p.m. Begumpet Airport in a special helicopter and landed at the Sunnipenta Helipad near Srisailam Temple, where he was received by Andhra Pradesh Endowments Minister Vellampalli Srinivas, Nandyal MP Pocha Bhrahmananda Reddy.
At the temple entrance, the visiting couple was given a traditional welcome with Poorna Kumbham and Veda pathanam led by temple Executive Officer Karanam S. Rama Rao in the presence of Endowments Principal Secretary Vani Mohan, District Collector P. Koteswara Rao. After the couple had a darshan of the presiding deities at the temple, they were blessed by Veda Pandits and given prasad and mementos. The Home Minister planted a sapling of Terminalia Arjuna (Aruna tree) during which Intelligence IG Sridhar Reddy, Kurnool DIG Venkatarami Reddy and Superintendent of Police Sudheer Kumar Reddy were present.
A small exhibition of the ancient copperplates unearthed at the Ganta Matham during its renovation work was opened for the visiting couple. The temple authorities explained the importance of these valuable findings and the message written on them. The Central government had given financial aid for the renovation of the temple under the Pilgrimage Rejuvenation and Spirituality Augmentation Drive according to the reports published in thehindu.com.
