A colourful sobha yatra with over 12,000 devotees was taken out on the occasion of the inauguration of Sri Mahalakshmi Yagaram in the city on Thursday evening.
Besides Sri Ramachandra Jeeyar, who is organising the 13th Sri Mahalakshmi Yagam at Andhra University Engineering College grounds from Thursday to April 5, others - Sri Kaliyan Jeeyar from Vanamamalaia, Sri Ranga Ramanuja Jeeyar from Kakinada, Ashtkshari Jeeyar from Vijayawada, Sri Narasimha Ramanuja Jeeyar from Allahabad and Sri Pa led the sobha yatra which was inaugurated in the presence of Commissioner of Greater Visakhapatnam Municipal Corporation B. Ramanjaneyulu from the Sri Ramalayam near Visakha Women's College.
Sri Ramachandra Jeeyar brought the idols of Sridevi, Bhudevi and Govindarajaswami and other Jeeyarswamis ascended the flower chariot to lead the procession.
Women carrying turmeric, kumkum, flowers and fruits were found in large numbers in the yatra.
A feature of the procession was a decorated tableaux depicting the festivals of Ufgadi, Sriramanavami, Krishnashtami, Dasara, Deepavali, Sankranthi, India, and folk art forms like kolatam, pulivesham, Harerama Bhajan, etc. More than 1,000 artistes from several states including Manipur and West Bengal participated in cultural programmes which attracted the devotees.
On Friday, there would be abhishekam to the deities with 108 kalasas.
