Amaravati, January 25, 2026: Thousands of devotees flocked to the ancient Sri Suryanarayana Swamy temple in Arasavalli, Srikakulam district, for Ratha Saptami, creating long queues and testing crowd management.
The festival, marking the Sun God's symbolic chariot ride and celebrated widely across Andhra Pradesh, drew an unprecedented turnout as it fell on a weekend.
Local charitable groups stepped up where arrangements lagged. SSR Charitable Trust distributed food and prasadam to nearly 5,000 pilgrims.
Lions Club and Indian Red Cross Society provided transport help, including vehicles for the elderly and tricycles for those with disabilities, easing access near key spots like Mill Junction and Indira Vignan Bhavan.
Temple officials limited entry to one queue, drawing some criticism from visitors and officials over delays even for VIPs.
