Sri Sitarama Kalyanam was performed with religious fervour in several temples in Kurnool district on Sri Rama Navami festival on Friday.
A large number of devotees watched ‘kalyanotsavam’ performed in Sri Rambhotla temple at Kummari Street in Kurnool. ‘Kalyanotsavam’ was also performed in Sri Kodanda Rama temple at Sanjivanagar and Sri Rama temple in the NGO Colony at Nandyal.
Kalyanam was performed by Vedic pundits in Sri Rama temple at A. Kodur in Bandi Atmakur mandal. Devotees offered prayers in Krishnanandi, Sivanandi and Omkar pilgrim centres in Nallamala forest area in Bandi Atmakur mandal.
Special pujas and kalyanam were performed in Sri Gurajala Ramalingeswara Swamy temple and Poolachinta Bande Guruswamy temple in Nandavaram.
Telugu Desam Party BC Cell leader Tuggali Nagendra organised free marriages in Sri Rama temple at Tuggali on Sri Rama Navami.
Shobha Yatra
A 12-foot imposing plaster of Paris statue of Lord Sri Rama was taken in a procession by Shiv Sena activists amidst fervour in Sri Rama Navami Shobha Yatra in Kurnool town on Friday.
Perched atop a luggage carrier, the statue of Sri Rama carrying a bow and arrows, was taken in a procession from Sri Rambhotla temple in Kummari Street and passed through One Town police station, Poola Bazaar, Nehru Road, Swami Vivekananda Circle, Bangarupet, new bus stand and till Sri Rama Hanuman temple.
Shiv Sena district secretary Pratap Reddy and activists led the yatra in which chants of ‘Jai Sriram’ rented the air. Police accompanied the procession in which thousands of activists and devotees participated.
Srikakulam Staff Reporter adds
Srikakulam Collector P. Lakshmi Narasimham on Friday said Lord Sri Rama would continue to be the ideal person for all the generations since he taught the importance of truth and dharma.
He participated in Srirama Kalyanam in historic Kodandarama temple and offered special prayers along with other devotees. Kalyanam to Sri Rama and Goddess Sitadevi was performed in several temples such as Vinayaka Panchayatana Alayam, Shiva Balaji temple, Devi Ashramam, Manguvaritota and other places.
The devotees thronged to witness the celestial wedding which was performed at Abhijit muhurtham on the occasion of Srirama Navami. Later, vadapappu and panakam were distributed at the temples.
Chittoor Staff Reporter adds
Thousands of devotees thronged various temples of Lord Rama all over the district, and celebrated the Srirama Navami festival with devotion on Friday.
Women and children wearing traditional dresses took part in large numbers at the Sita Rama Kalyanam ritual in the temples, preceded by special pujas.
Superintendent of Police Ghattamaneni Srinivas initiated Srirama Navami festivities with special pujas at the Rama temple at police quarters in Chittoor town.
Devotional fervour gripped the people with people providing jaggery juice (‘panakam’) to the devotees at the ancient Kodandarama Swamy temple at Ramar Street here, followed by ‘abhishekam’.
Heavy crowds of devotees were reported at Kodandarama Swamy temple in Piler. The temples at Somala, Rayalapeta, Nimmanapalle and Madanapalle saw the celestial marriage of Lord Rama and Sita Devi, followed by rendering of harikathas and skits depicting the birth of Lord Rama.
In V. Kota, people took part in the Kumbabishekam ritual at the local Rama temple. The Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) had extended its services to several temples by deputing teams from the Hindu Dharma Prachara Parishad to conduct devotional programmes.
Special buses
Meanwhile, the temple of Lord Pattibhi Ramaswamy at Valmikipuram in Piler constituency was gracefully decorated. The festivities will continue here for four more days, and will conclude with Kalyanotsavam.
The APSRTC plied special buses to Valmikipuram from Tirupati, Piler, Madanapalle and several parts of western mandals.
