The Vastu-obsessed TDP government is will be performing rituals in full conformity with the Hindu tradition at the Bhoomi Pooja to be held at Thallayapalem hamlet in Mandadam village on June 6.
The land belonging to the family of Bezawada Narendra Babu, ZPTC from Thullur, face river Krishna in the northern direction and the Kanaka Durga temple in the eastern direction.
Mr. Babu has been an active TDP local leader, and his family members have already given away 100 acres under the Land Pooling Scheme (LPS).
Incidentally, some locals were of the view that since a cremation had been held recently near the venue, Bhoomi Pooja should not be performed there. However Agriculture Minister P. Pulla Rao on Sunday confirmed that the pooja would be held in Survey No. 134 on the land that belongs to Mr. Narendra and his family. “These are baseless allegations levelled by those who are against the construction of the capital here,” Mr. Narendra said.
Raghavaiah, a sidhanti from Krishna district, who had fixed the muhurtum of the swearing-in ceremony of the State Cabinet last year, will head the team of priests who will perform the rituals on the fields spread across 40 acres at Mandadam.
So, what is Bhoomi Pooja? The Hindu spoke to Srinivasa Ghargeya, once a TDP court astrologer. “Bhoomi Pooja is a ritual performed to appease Bhoo Matha (Mother Earth), as the construction of the capital involves digging and shovelling of earth. It is a supplication to Mother Earth not to react with anger at the acts done to her,” Mr. Ghargeya said.
The rituals to be performed over a period of several hours will include scores of priests rendering ‘Bhoo Suktham’, a special prayer to Mother Earth.
A special ritual, ‘Gomatha pradakshana’, involving five virgins and five cows will also be performed, Mr. Narendra said.
At day break, five priests will first consecrate the cows with vermillion and later walk around the place where the rituals will be performed five times. Meanwhile, the virgins would circle the area sprinkling the earth with holy waters from major rivers.
