A rich devotional ambience prevailed in several temples and temporarily erected pandals at different places in the city as Srirama Navami was celebrated on a grand scale on Friday.
The streets wore a festive look with the locals performing the ‘kalyanotsavam’ of Sri Sita Rama Swamy at several places in the city. The festive mood began in the early hours of the day with the playing of devotional songs at the pandals. The temples and streets alike echoed with songs like ‘Sri Sita Ramula Kalyanamu Chuddamu Rarandi’, ‘Kalyana Vaibogame, Sri Sita Ramula Kalyana Vaibogame’ and the film songs of ‘Lavakusa’ and other movies.
The youngsters threw themselves wholeheartedly into preparing of the prasadam, including the traditional ‘vadapappu’ and ‘panakam’. The delicious ‘panakam', a drink mixed with jaggery and spices, was served to passers-by at several places.
Sri Rama Navami was celebrated at Ramalayam at Satyanarayanapuram, Besant Road, and One Town, Kodanda Rama temple at Patamata and Sri Abhaya Anjanaya Swamy temple on ghat road in Vijayawada. Tens of devotees witnessed the celestial wedding in pandals put up at places like Besant Road. At the Besant Road a 65 k.g. laddu was purchased by a devotee for Rs.32,000.
The deities were decorated with silk clothes and the ‘kalyanam' was performed amid ‘veda mantras' and ‘mela talams’. The deities of Lord Rama and his consort Sita were decorated with flowers and at exactly 12 noon, Abhijit Lagnam, the celestial wedding was performed amid chanting of Vedic mantras. ‘Jeelakarra bellam’ was put on the heads the deities and the mangalasutram was tied with scores of devotees witnessing the celestial wedding at various temples and pandals.
The several Rama and Anjaneya Swamy temples in the city reverberated with the chants of ‘Jai Sri Rama', ‘Kodanda Rama', and ‘Janaki Rama'. There was continuous supply of kalyana prasadam, wedding feast, at the pandals in many colonies, including RTC colony.
Sri Rama Navami festival was celebrated with religious fervour across the district. Thousands of devotees thronged temples of Lord Rama from the early morning and participated in special rituals performed on the auspicious occasion.
Temples reverberated with the chanting of `Rama Namam’ by the devotees, who later witnessed the celestial wedding of Lord Rama and His consort Sita.
The couple were taken in processions later through the main streets as it had been the tradition for generations.
A large number of devotees celebrated the festival at Sri Rama Kshetram in Brodipet and other prominent temples. They savoured `Panakam’ (made with jaggery and pepper) which is the customary delight of this festival and invoked the Lord’s blessings. Various devotional programs were organized on the festive occasion. Besides, markets bustled with activity as people went on a shopping spree.
