Amaravati, February 16, 2026: Mahasivaratri drew massive crowds to the hilltop Kotappakonda shrine in Andhra Pradesh's Palnadu district, with an estimated 10 lakh devotees joining festivities across the temple and nearby sites like Amaravati Temple.
Around 2 lakh devotees secured darshan at the main shrine, while many more witnessed electric and traditional chariot processions that lit up the night.
Farmers and pilgrims from Palnadu, Bapatla, Guntur, and surrounding areas arrived in over 25,000 vehicles, turning the site into a sea of devotion.
Authorities replaced last year's VIP passes with online timed tickets to control flow, deployed 530 special buses and 120 shuttles for ghat access, expanded parking across 100 acres, and used drones, CCTV, and clear signage for monitoring. Palnadu police confirmed seamless coordination with district officials ensured no major issues.
