Andhra Pradesh - Vijayawada   

Hissteria prevails at snakepits

Photo: A.V.G. Prasad

For well-being: Women worshipping at a snakepit on the occasion of Nagula Chavithi in Eluru on Sunday. —

VIJAYAWADA: ‘Nagula Chavithi’, a festival dedicated to ‘Naga Devata’ (serpent goddess), was celebrated with fervour, as women devotees carried offerings to various snakepits in and around the city on Sunday as part of their annual ritual of worship.

‘Chavithi’ was observed from 10 a.m. on Saturday to 10 a.m. on Sunday.

Thousands of devotees offered prayers at Chodavaram on the outskirts of the city.

Dressed in bright colours and accompanied by kith and kin, women offered prayers and “poojas,” leaving the snakepits with marks of saffron and turmeric.

They poured cow milk, offered eggs and made other such offerings at the pits to appease the goddess and seek her blessings.

One of the famous regional festivals of Andhra Pradesh, Nagula Chavithi came to be identified as a women’s festival with devotees celebrating it without fail and with lots of devotion.

Celebrated on the fourth day after Deepavali, devotees also burst crackers near the pits.

Women along with children worshipped at snakepits at Eluru Lockulu, Sub-Collector’s Office, District Courts Complex, Electricity Sub-Station near Ramavarappadu Junction and at many other such locations. Thousands of devotees thronged Chodavaram near Penamaluru mandal headquarters to worship the goddess, even as the RTC ran special services from all over the city to the place, which has several snakepits.

The police made elaborate arrangements to manage the crowds at the small temple and the surrounding snakepits on both sides of the Chodavaram road amidst the picturesque paddy fields.

As it was the last few hours of the Nagula Chavithi festival in the morning, devotees came pouring in right from early hours.

Long queues were witnessed at the temple with devotees circling the snakepits and making their offerings to the goddess.

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