Many of the Saivite temples constructed during Kakatiya dynasty across Khammam district have been spruced up for the auspicious Maha Shivaratri slated for Tuesday. The 1000-year-old Ganapeswaralayam shrine of Kakatiya era at Kusumanchi is said to be one among a few in the country that had the biggest Siva Lingam.


Devotees in huge numbers make a beeline to this temple not just on Maha Sivaratri but also on regular days. During the Maha Shivaratri, there will be a three-day religious fair (jatara) having a huge patronage from Warangal and Nalgonda districts apart from the locals. According to elders, the height of the Siva Lingam is about 12 feet with half of it inside the earth in the sanctum sanctorum.
 
The temple which was in a state of utter neglect, got a bit of facelift since the Endowments department took over it. Elsewhere, Teerthala Sangameswara Swamy temple, 10 km from Khammam, is also braced up for a huge influx of devotees.
 
The three-day jatara here is famous and attracts people from Mahbubabad, Dornakal and other parts of Warangal district. The celestial marriage of Siva and Parvathi will be performed on Tuesday night. Similar religious fairs will be conducted at Sri Bhramaramba Mallikarjuna Swamy temple at Annapureddypalli, Sri Mrutyunjaya Swamy temple in Madhira, Sri Ramalingeshwara Swamy temple at Snanala Lakshmipuram, Tegada Veerabhadra Swamy temple in Cherla, Sri Mallikarjuna Swamy temple at Vallapuram village in Mudigonda mandal apart from other Saivite temples in the district.
 
Elaborate arrangements have been made by the authorities as all these temples turn into sea of humanity as thousands of devotees converge to offer prayers to Lord Siva.

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