The ‘Inavolu Mallikarjuna Swamy Jatara’, one of the biggest religious fairs in the State, got under way at Inavolu village in Wardhannapet mandal.
Former deputy chief minister Kadiyam Srihari and local MLA Aruri Ramesh offered special prayers marking the inauguration of the jatara, which would continue till March 21.
Celestial wedding
The celestial wedding of presiding deities – Mallikarjuna Swamy, incarnation of Lord Shiva, and his consorts Golla Kethamma and Balija Medalamma – would be the highlight of the jatara.
The temple is patronised mainly by Yadava, Golla, Kuruma and Balija communities and they, in large numbers, throng the temple during the jatara from different parts of Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra and Karnataka. The shrine is believed to have been built by Kakatiya minister Ayyanna Devudu.
The devotees use ‘bandari’ (turmeric) as the main offering to the deity and also carry earthen pots with newly-harvested rice cooked with milk and jaggery. Some even make animal sacrifices.
The tiny village comes to life with hundreds of thousands of devotees raising temporary tents all around the temple to camp for a day or two before offering their prayers. The entire temple and the surroundings are beautifully lit up for the occasion.
The Endowments Department has constructed bathrooms and toilets for the devotees and dug up bore-wells too.
