Arrangements are in place for the smooth conduct of the annual ‘Gangamma Jatara’, the folk festival of Tirupati, from May 10 to 17.
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The goddess is revered as the younger sister of Lord Venkateswara at Tirumala and this sentiment is reflected in the form of the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) offering a special gift set from the ‘beloved elder brother’ during this festival every year.
It is a practice for the residents of Tirupati, who are settled in other States or even in foreign countries, to return to their home town during this festival and partake in the festivities with great reverence. The temple at Thathayagunta in the heart of the city is bracing up for the mega event after remaining out of bounds for two years due to the pandemic.
The temple has an interesting mythology. When Tirupati was under the rule of Palegars (local chieftains), who were known to outrage the modesty of women, one such ruler went into hiding on coming to know that Goddess Adi Parashakti had taken birth in Tirupati as ‘Gangamma’. Gangamme dons various guises and goes to town shouting abuses to lure him from his hideout. The enraged chieftain is slayed when he comes out on the seventh day. Paying reverence to this mythology, the locals don various guises by smearing charcoal, kumkum and limestone paste on their bodies on each of the days.
MLA Bhumana Karunakar Reddy, who visited the temple along with Mayor R. Sireesha and Deputy Mayor B. Abhinay Reddy on Sunday, released posters and publicity graffiti for the festival and invited the devout to participate by following the COVID protocols.