Students from various parts of East and West Godavari districts descended on this tiny village of Konaseema on Tuesday to get at least one ‘lucky’ pen at the popular Varasiddhi Vinayaka temple here.
Children were seen waiting in long queues from the early hours and each of them was determined to obtain at least two pens ahead of their examinations.
Every year the temple authorities conduct pen puja ritual with more than one lakh pens on ‘magha bahula chaviti’ day and this year it was done on January 24. However, the pens would be distributed on the third day.
The ‘Poornahuti’ was conducted by chief priest Machari Suribabu, A. Satyanarayana Murthy, Machari Vinayaka Rao, and Machari Rajeswara Rao and other arrangements were made by temple Executive Officer Mudunuri Satyanarayana Raju.
Ainavilli ZPTC member Kasi Annapoorna and MPP Pullaiah Naidu along with priests distributed the pens to students who were waiting in long queues.
Students believe that those who write the examinations with these pens will get good marks.
Private schools arranged buses from distant places to Ainavilli. Long queues of students from classes 6 to 10 were seen. “If I get one pen, I will be happy. If I get more, I feel lucky,” a student from Saraswathi Sisu Mandir of Ravulapalem said.
However, D. Pradyumna, 10th standard student, was disappointed when the temple authorities restricted the number of pens to two by the evening.
“I came from Gokavaram village and I missed the bus and also pens. I only got one pen instead four at least”, he said. The boy was asked to give his address so that the pens could be sent through post. The authorities also announced that pen distribution would continue for two more days.
