The celestial wedding of Rama and Sita, Sri Ramanavami, was celebrated with much pomp and religious fervour across the district here on Saturday.
At Rama Mandiram, the oldest temple at Mahabubabad town where it is being observed for the 57th year, about 20,000 devotees gathered from the surrounding hamlets. Local MLA B. Shankar Naik and others were also present.
Temple committee members Voore Gurunadha Rao, Sham Loya, Om Narayana Loya and others made elaborate arrangements for the event.
Sri Ramanavami celebrations were held here for the first time in 1959 by the local railway authorities.
Volunteers of the Kamadenu Goshala, S.S. Loya Trust and Vasvi Club supplied water, buttermilk and prasadam, arranged by the temple committee, to devotees. They also assisted volunteers in serving food at the temple.
At Hanamkonda, Sri Ramanavami was celebrated on a grand scale at the Sitaramachandra Swamy temple at Revenue Colony. Celebrations were held at Hanuman temple near Ambedkar Statue, the historic Thousand Pillar temple and other temples in several colonies in the tri-cities.
Adilabad Special Correspondent adds: Sri Ramanavami was celebrated with religious fervour at all the temples, especially Ramalayams in the district.
The Sita Rama kalyanam was performed at many temples.
Among the temples which witnessed a heavy rush of devotees were the Ramalayams in the CCI, Ramnagar and Tirpally.
Collector M. Jagan Mohan and his wife Aruna Kumari attended the Sita Rama kalyanam at the Kodandaramalayam at Bellampally town.
Nizamabad Special Correspondent adds: Sri Ramanavami was celebrated with religious fervour and gaiety across the district.
The celestial wedding was performed at the famous Sri Raghunathalayam and Ramalayam at Subashnagar here, Khilla Ramalayam at Dichpally and at several other places.
Member of Parliament K. Kavitha, MLC V.G. Goud and MLA Bajireddy Govardhan attended the kalyanotsavam at Sri Laxminarsimha temple at Darpally mandal headquarters. All temples were decorated on the occasion. Community lunches were conducted after the celestial wedding at almost all temples.
Karimnagar Special Correspondent adds: The celestial wedding of Rama and Sita was conducted at Sri Seetha Ramachandra Swamy devasthanam in Illandakunta village in Karimnagar district.
The rituals were performed by temple priest Sesham Ramacharyulu and others. Minister for Finance Etala Rajender, Karimnagar MP B. Vinod Kumar and Collector Neetu Kumari Prasad participated in the celebrations and presented silk vastrams and pearls to the presiding deity on behalf of the State government.
Jammikunta Cotton and Rice Millers association had organised lunch for the devotees. Former Karimnagar MP Ponnam Prabhakar, former MLC Naradasu Laxman Rao and others were also present.
Nalgonda Staff Reporter adds: At Seetharamachandra Swamy temple in Nalgonda, the celestial wedding of Rama and Sita was performed by priests. Earlier, District Collector P. Satyanarayna Reddy had presented silk vastrams to the presiding deity.
The services of Satya Sai Seva Samithi, which has been helping the temple management in regulating devotees during the past three decades, also won accolades.
They helped the temple management in regulating queues besides serving panakam and prasadam to scores of devotees who thronged the temple.
District Resource Person of Seva Samithi, K. Jayaprakash Reddy, said that as many 45 members, including a good number of women, took part in the service.
The temple management and Revenue Divisional Officer Venkata Chary appreciated them.
Meanwhile, temples across the district witnessed a huge turnout of devotees.
Community lunches conducted after the celestial wedding at almost all temples
