Celestial splendour descended on Bhadrachalam on Monday as the sacred ‘Vaikunta (Uttara) Dwaram’ of the Sri Sitaramachandra Swamy shrine was thrown open for the ‘Uttara Dwara Darsanam’ before the break of dawn, marked by exhilarating spiritual bliss.
Scores of devotees congregated in front of the temple from the wee hours of the day for the Darsanam as part of the ongoing Vaikunta Ekadasi festivities in the shrine.
A group of music exponents from Tirupati recited the ‘Bhaja Govindam’ Tirunama Sankeertanam from 3 a.m. to 4.30 a.m. Vedic pandits rendered a pravachanam highlighting the significance of the Uttara Dwara Darsanam, the once-in-a-year religious event where the north entrance of the temple is opened.
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The temple priests performed various special pujas to the utsav idols of Lord Rama, his consort Sita, and brother Lakshmana before throwing open the Uttara Dwaram for darsan of the presiding deity, amid recital of Vedic hymns, at 5 a.m.
Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao’s wife K. Shobha, Minister for Roads and Buildings T. Nageswara Rao, and Kothagudem MLA J. Venkat Rao were among those who had darsan of the presiding deity.