KOTAPPA KONDA FAIR

Location : 15 Kms South-West of Narsaraopet in Guntur District. Deity : Trikoteswara Swami (Lord Shiva) Time of the festivity : February - March

Kotappakonda, the abode of Trikoteswara Swamy, is a village, 15-km southwest of Narsaraopet in Guntur district. Mahasivaratri is the important festival celebrated here with great devotion and fervour. Kotappakonda comes alive on this eve, which falls during February-March every year. Milling crowds occupy every inch of the space on and around the hill.

'Prabhas', rectangular frames tapering at the top made of bamboo and decorated with coloured cloth and paper, of different sizes are taken in procession as a part of the festival. Most of them are 25 to 30 feet high and are carried by the devotees. But the giant Prabhas, rising to a height of over 100 feet, are carried on decorated and lighted bullock carts accompanied by a large following. They are placed on a meadow at the foot of the hill. Large manpower, money and material are needed to erect these Prabhas, which promote a spirit of cooperation and unification enthusing the villagers.

Accommodation facilities are available and there are many nearby attractions like the artificial Jurassic Park, meditation center etc around Kotappakonda and thus, the place is all set to become a major tourist attraction, providing "Rakthi, Bhakthi and Mukthi" (entertainment, devotion and salvation) to the visitors.