The two important festivals, Kaisika Dwadasi and
Karthika Vanabhojanotsavam have been celebrated with religious fervour in
Tirumala on Monday.
Earlier in the wee hours, around 4:30am Ugra
Srinivasamurthy flanked by Sri Devi and Bhu Devi were taken on a procession
along four mada streets and reached the temple before sun rise. Later Kaisika
Dwadasi Asthanam has been performed by the temple priests. It is only on this
day in the entire year that the deity of Ugra Srinivasa Murthy is brought out
of the temple.
Later in the day, following Karthika Vanabhojanotsavam,
the temple priests performed Visesha Samarpana to the processional deities of
Lord Malayappa Swamy and his consorts. After tastefully decorating the deities,
they were brought to Vahana Mandapam. Samarpana was again performed here and
later the processional deity of Lord Malayappa seated on small Gaja Vahanam and
his consorts in Tiruchi were taken out to Paruveta Mandapam in a colourful
procession. Bhajan troupes, children in the guise of deities stood as a special
attraction all along the route.
Later Snapana Tirumanjanam has been performed with
religious fervour to the utsava murthies at Paruveta Mandapam. The deities were
seated on a huge golden platform and Tirumanajanam was performed first with
spices water followed by milk, curd, honey, coconut water, turmeric paste and
finally sandal paste was applied to the deities. Later the deities who were
draped in white silk clothes were adorned with Tulsi garlands and the priests
in the presence of Tirumala Pedda Jiyangar and Chinna Jiyangar and other
officials offered Nakshatra Arti and special arti to the deities marking the
completion of the Tirumanjanam ceremony. Later the deities were decorated in
colourful silk vastrams and dazzling diamond studded gold jewels and were
seated on a special mandapam inside Paruveta Mandapam.
The holy hills reverberated with the chanting of
"Govinda Namas" of the pilgrims who thronged to witness the colourful
ceremony. Later all the TTD officials and pilgrims took part in the Karthika
Vanabhojanam festival.
Later speaking to media persons the TTD board chief Sri
Kanumuri Bapiraju said, "It was a momentous occasion to celebrate to
festivals, Kaisika Dwadasi and Karthika Vanabhojanotsavam on single day. The
pilgrims had darshan as well as the delicious prasadam in the presence of
Lord", he added. Later the TTD EO Sri LV Subramanyam said, Tamil devotee
Bhakta Nambaduvan sang the song in praise of Lord in Kaisika ragam and hence
the festival got the name Kaisika Dwadasi. "Today this festival is being
observed in all harijanwadas across the state. It is during this festival that
the devotees have their community meals in the presence of Lord signifying the
bond between Bhagavan and Bhakta", he added.
The kirtans sung by Annamacharya project artistes and
Harikatha Parayanam stood as special attraction to the pilgrims on this festive
occasion.
Joint EOs Sri KS Srinivasa Raju, Sri Venkatrami Reddy,
CVSO Sri MK Singh, ACVSO Sri Shivakumar Reddy, DSP Tirumala Sri Umamaheshwara Sharma,
Annamacharya Project Director Dr.Medasani Mohan, Temple Deputy EO Sri
Munirathnam Reddy, SE II Sri Ramesh Reddy, GM Transport Sri Sesha Reddy, Health
Officer Sri Bhishmaiah Naidu, EEs Sri Manohar, Sri Jaganmohan Reddy, Peishkar
Sri Chandrasekhar Pillai, Parupattedar Sri Keshava Raju and others were also
present.
