‘Ratha Sapthami’ falling on January 26 (Monday), is one of the major festivals of Tirumala – Tirupathi Temple. Lord Srinivasa is taken in a procession in seven Rathams right from the break of dawn till late evening hours.
While the event will commence with the Lord proceeding in ‘Surya Vaganam’ in the morning, the row of rathams will conclude with ‘Chadra Vaganam’ to be taken out in the late evening hours.
The entire temple will be decorated to suit the occasion.
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The Sri Bakthi Sarar Baktha Saba, Salem, has been bestowed with the rare honour of sending flowers and flower garlands to the Tirumala Temple.
The Sri Bakthi Sarar Baktha Sabha despatched flower garlands and flowers weighing about three tonnes to Tirumala in special loads on Saturday.
More than 600 members of the Saba and people from other walks of life, including about 400 women, toiled the whole day on Saturday for preparation of garlands using marigold and austra flowers.
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The event commenced with the rendering of special poojas by Krishnan, priest of the Sri Sidha Vinayagar Temple, P and T Colony.
The marigold red and yellow and austra violet and pink were used in the making of the garlands.
While marigold yellow and austra flowers were procured in bulk from Rayakottai, marigold red were procured directly from the Sathyamangalam flower farmers, according to A. Srinivasan, organiser of the Saba. The flower loads were sent in special trucks to the office of the Deputy Director of Horticulture, Garden Department of Tirumala Tirupathi Devasthanam, he said.
The Saba has been despatching flowers to Tirumala Temple on various occasions, including Brahmothsavam, Pushpa Yaagam, New Year, Yugadi and Vaikunta Ekadasi.