During Maha Shivaratri, thousands of devotees from Telangana and Maharashtra thronged the renowned Vellala Gattu Mallanna Temple in Jaipur mandal and Katterasala Mallanna Temple in Chennur mandal of Mancherial district. Devotees performed holy dips in the Godavari River and trekked up the hill shrine to offer prayers to Lord Mallikarjuna Swamy. The temple premises were packed with worshippers seeking blessings on the auspicious occasion. Temple priests accorded a traditional Purna Kumbha welcome to the visiting dignitaries, accompanied by cultural drum performances, and presented sacred offerings and ceremonial shawls.

State Minister for Labour and Mining, Vivek Venkataswamy, along with his wife Saroja, offered special prayers at both temples. Choosing to avoid inconvenience to devotees, the minister walked nearly three kilometers from the base of the hill like a common pilgrim. Extending Shivaratri greetings to the people, he prayed for prosperity and abundant harvests across the state. He stated that efforts are underway to secure forest permissions for improving road connectivity to Vellala temple and assured enhanced facilities including traffic management, drinking water, and amenities for devotees. He also announced the initiation of monthly Giripradakshina and sanctioned ₹20 lakh for the development of Katterasala Mallanna Temple.