The tri-State junction of Kuppam is spruced up for three major festivities to be organised as a part of the Tirupati Gangamma Jatara, which has been celebrated for the last 400 years, beginning May 22 (Monday).
At present, the Tirupati Gangamamba temple in Kuppam is being administered by the Endowments Department. Among the prominent rituals are Agnigundam —walking on embers— slated for May 22, the procession of the deity’s head on May 23, and Viswaroopa Darshan the next day (May 24). The annual rituals witness a gathering of around three lakh devotees.
Thousands of devotees from Chittoor district and the neighbouring villages in Tamil Nadu and Karnataka throng the temple to witness the Agnigundam ritual.
A highlight of the Gangamma Jatara is the procession of the head of the deity. As part of the rituals, the deity’s head made of clay is painted and adorned with flowers. It is taken out in a grand procession which takes around 30 hours to cover the streets of Kuppam. Thousands of livestock such as sheep and poultry birds are sacrificed along the path of the procession. The police and fire services personnel are making the necessary arrangements for the procession.
On May 24 (Wednesday), the head of the deity would be placed near the presiding deity inside the temple and the devotees will be allowed to have the Viswaroopa Darshan till late in the night. The head then will be immersed in the local water tank.
Except for Wednesday, the deity in the temple remains without a head throughout the year.
The Palamaner sub-division police said that about 600 personnel would be deployed as a part of the bandobast.
