Going to Srisailam for Maha Shivaratri from Hyderabad
Srisailam sees around 30,000 devotees on a normal day. Around Maha Shivaratri it can be one to two and a half lakh a day. Here’s what that means for your trip.
The road is open at night
Normally the forest road through the tiger reserve is closed from 9 PM to 6 AM. During Maha Shivaratri it’s usually opened through the night for the festival traffic. That helps, but it also means the road is busy at all hours.
Expect long queues
Darshan queues during the festival can run for many hours. Temple timings and darshan arrangements change for the festival, so check the official website, srisailadevasthanam.org, close to the date.
Book early
Cars, Tempo Travellers and rooms in Srisailam all fill up for the festival. If you know you’re going, book a few weeks ahead.
Take two days
A same-day trip during Maha Shivaratri is hard on everyone. With a night in Srisailam, you can join the queue when it suits you and come back without rushing.
Pack for it
- Water in steel bottles; plastic isn’t allowed in the tiger reserve.
- Light snacks for the queue.
- Comfortable footwear you can leave outside the temple.
- Some cash; card machines and phone networks get busy.