As many as three lakh devotees are expected to take part in historic Sirimanotsavam of Pydithalli Ammaravi temple in Vizianagaram on Tuesday evening.
The temple chief priest Bantupalli Bairaginaidu will bless people from top of the ‘sirimanu’ which moves three times between the temple premises at Three Lamp Junction to fort premises. He is considered to be the processional deity of Pydithalli who reportedly sacrificed her life by jumping into Peddacheruvu after knowing the death of her brother Pusapati Vijayarama Raju who was killed in historic Bobbili war in 1757 while fighting with the army of Tandra Paparayudu.
On the next day, her idol was found in the tank as she had told Pativada Appalanaidu, who was a loyal to kings of Vizianagaram princely State. From 1758, Sirimanotsavam is held on the immediate next Tuesday of Dasara festival. Before Sirimanotsavam, ‘Tollelu’ is celebrated. After offering special prayers, seeds will be distributed among farmers who in turn would sow them in fields in anticipation of abundant crop. Women devotees carrying ‘ghatams’ offer prayers.
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Initially, the two important festivals were celebrated at Vanam Gudi near Vizianagaram Railway Station. After construction of new temple which is also called Chaduru Gudi in 1924, the deity was shifted to new premises.
The temple which was under the supervision of Pusapati Gajapathi’s family has come into the jurisdiction of the AP Endowments Department in 1951.
However, Pusapati family continue to offer first prayers and get special attention from the temple authorities. In a traditional manner, former Union Minister Pusapati Ashok Gajapathi Raju’s daughter Aditi Gajapathi Raju offered prayers on Monday morning. Mr. Ashok could not attend for traditional ‘darshan’ as he was sick.
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Festive look
The temple priests welcomed her with ‘purnakumbham’ and explained the arrangements for Sirimanotsavam. They said that Paladhara, Tella Enugu (white elephant) and Anjali Radham will precede Sirimanu on Tuesday evening.
Meanwhile, the temple wore a festive look with the arrival of pilgrims from different parts of Visakhapatnam, Vizianagaram and Srikakulam districts. The temple authorities made separate queue lines for ₹50 and ₹100 tickets and ₹300 tickets will be issued for those who wanted to have ‘darshan’ on Tuesday, considered to be the most auspicious day. Indian Red Cross Society volunteers served water to devotees.
Under the supervision of Superintendent of Police B. Rajakumari, 2,200 police personnel are drafted for security arrangements. Drones are being used to monitor movement of crowds in different locations.
Ms. Rajakumari said that the department was giving utmost priority to avoid traffic jams and rush at the temple premises.