Sirimanotsavam witnesses massive turnout

October 08, 2014 12:05 am | Updated October 18, 2016 03:04 pm IST - VIZIANAGARAM:

Hereditary priest of the Pydithalli Temple Thallapudi Bhaskar Rao seated atop Sirimanu as part of Sirimanu Utsavam, being watched by enthusiastic devotees from rooftops at Vizianagaram on Tuesday. Photo: K.R. Deepak

Hereditary priest of the Pydithalli Temple Thallapudi Bhaskar Rao seated atop Sirimanu as part of Sirimanu Utsavam, being watched by enthusiastic devotees from rooftops at Vizianagaram on Tuesday. Photo: K.R. Deepak

A pleased Pydithalli Ammavaru blessed lakhs of devotees who thronged the streets of the historic town of Vizianagaram with a heavy shower on Tuesday even as procession of the Sirimanu carrying priest Thallapudi Bhaskara Rao finished the first round.

Undaunted by the showers the procession continued to make two more trips from the temple to the main entrance of the Vizianagaram fort and the public who occupied every available space along the road and every rooftop in the area too stayed put to watch till the end of the festival.

Hereditary trustee of the Pydithalli Ammavaru temple and Union Civil Aviation Minister P. Ashok Gajapathi Raju who prayed at the temple in the morning, accompanied by his wife and the family of his elder brother P. Ananda Gajapati Raju, made way to the ramparts of the fort to watch the Sirimanotsavam in the evening. Noting his arrival, the crowd started to gather in large numbers and all the vantage points along the roads were soon occupied.

The Sirimanu carrying the priest of the temple was accompanied by a number of traditional participants such as ‘Puli Veshagallu’, fisherfolk and other communities. Even as the procession made its way from the temple the assembled bystanders threw bananas at them. The authorities had an army of civic staff follow the procession clearing up the strewn bananas lest they should turn the road slippery and pose a threat to the participants.

Even as the procession returned to the temple after a first trip clouds gathered over the town in quick time and heavy rain lashed the town. Traditionally the festival conducted on the first Tuesday after Dasara sees showers, locals pointed out. However, on Tuesday the clouds opened up drenching everyone.

Minister for Rural Development Kimidi Mrunalini, and Vizianagaram MLA Meesala Geeta were among those watched the procession from the fort ramparts. Former PCC president Botcha Satyanarayana watched the proceedings from a spot across the road.

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