Around one lakh devotees participated in the annual Gangamma jathara at Balijapalli in Rajampet on Thursday and offered prayers to Sri Gangamma.
Potters of Chennai prepared the Gangamma idol with clay and decorated a temple with neem leaf branches and offered prayers with vermillion, turmeric, flowers, oil lamps and incense sticks. Balijapalle was abuzz with activity as scores of devotees broke coconuts and performed pandari bhajana.
Devotees from various parts of Kadapa district came to Balijapalli in tractors, bullock carts and other vehicles. The village reverberated with drum beats and bursting of crackers.
The devotees sacrificed thousands of goats, sheep and hen to the deity and cooked pongal under tree shades.
Several hoteliers and shop-keepers of Rajampet arranged annadanam and tiffin, besides supplying coconut water, butter milk and drinking water to the devotees. Former MP Gunipati Ramaiah also offered prayers.
Rajampet Revenue Divisional Officer Vijaya Sunitha had darshan of Sri Gangamma and later oversaw the arrangements made. Rajampet DSP G.V. Ramana, Urban circle inspector S. Srinivasulu, Rural CI Y. Venkateswarlu and over 150 policemen provided bandobust.
