Over two lakh devotees had set out on the annual Giri Pradakshina of Sri Varaha Lakshmi Narasimha Swamy of Simhachalam by 5 p.m. on Tuesday (July 28, 2026). Of them, 1.35 lakh began the walk in a single hour after the ceremonial chariot of the presiding deity left the temple.
The 32-km circumambulation began at the Tholi Pavancha in the early hours, in intermittent drizzle. Around 11,000 devotees had begun the trek by 10 a.m. and 28,000 by noon, according to officials at the Command and Control Centre. The count rose to 2.10 lakh by 5 p.m.
Devotees of all age groups, including the elderly, women, children and the young, took part. A large number of college students were seen in raincoats, continuing the trek in high spirits. Several coconut-breaking counters and queue lines were arranged at the starting point for the smooth movement of pilgrims. Simhachalam Devasthanam Executive Officer J. Venkat Rao was present at the Tholi Pavancha, monitoring the arrangements and the movement of devotees.
Special arrangements were made for devotees unable to undertake the entire 32-km trek. They performed a circumambulation of the temple atop the hill, a practice traditionally believed to carry spiritual significance equal to completing the full Giri Pradakshina. By around 10 a.m., a steady stream of pilgrims had reached Hanumanthawaka Junction, covering nearly 11 km of the route.
Many participants said they had been taking part in the pilgrimage for years.
