‘Dhwajarohanam’ was on Saturday ceremoniously performed at the famous hill temple of Lord Venkateswara signalling the commencement of the nine-day annual Brahmotsavam.
The sacred yellow cloth bearing the imprint of Lord Garuda was hoisted atop the golden flag post ‘Dhwajasthambham’ inside the main temple complex at the auspicious Meena lagnam between 5.48 and 6.00 pm amidst the recital of Vedic hymns by a battery of Sri Vaishnavite scholars led by the temple pontiffs to the rhythmic beat of the traditional drums. This was immediately followed by Asthanam to the deities at the Tirumala Raya Mandapam inside the temple complex.
‘Ekanta Thirumanjanam’
Earlier in the day, ‘Ekanta Thirumanjanam’ was performed to Lord Malayappa Swamy and His two divine consorts along with other Utsava deities followed by Koluvu and Panchaga Sravanam at Bangaru Vakili. Special religious functions in connection with the Dhwajarohanam ceremony were also performed at the Yagasala.
Later Lord Malayappa, flanked by His two consorts Sridevi and Bhudevi, were taken out in a procession along with ‘parivara devatas’ like Anantha, Garuda, Chakra and Viswaksena even as the ‘Dhwajapatam’ preceded the divine cavalcade.
Mythology has it that Lord Garuda goes round the hill temple extending invitations to all the supreme beings like Yaksha, Gandharva, Kinnera, Kimpurusha, Rishis and other heavenly bodies to grace the nine-day pageantry which as the name suggests was performed by none other than Lord Brahma, the Creator.
In the night, the procession of ‘Pedda Sesha Vahanam’ was organised. Lord Malayappa dressed in divine attires was carried around the mada streets on the seven-hooded golden Sesha Vahanam in a grand procession marking the beginning of ‘vahana sevas.’
