Markapuram: Scores of devotees witness Chennakesava Rathotsavam
Devotees participating in Sri Chennakesava Swamy Ratha Yatra in Markapuram on Monday; Bhudevi Sridevi Sametha Sri Lakshmi Chennakesava Swamy (Inset Pic)
Markapuram: The four mada streets of Bhudevi Sridevi Sametha Sri Lakshmi Chennakesava Swamy temple were thronged with more than one lakh devotees from Giddalur, Yerragondapalem, Kanigiri and Markapur areas to witness the chariot festival on Monday.
The temple staff has decorated the chariot of Chennakesava Swamy with colourful flowers and garlands and bright electric lights since morning.
Temple priests prepared the newly wedded deities Bhudevi Sridevi sametha Sri Lakshmi Chennakesava Swamy with diamonds and other precious stones embedded in gold and silver ornaments and crowns. They performed Viswaksena puja and other rituals before offering Kushmanda and Chitranna bali to the gods to see the procession is safe and beautiful.
Before the Rathayatra started from Chariot Chamber, Markapur MLA Kunduru Nagarjuna Reddy, Giddalur MLA Anna Rambabu, Municipal Chairman Chillamcharla Bala Murali Krishna, temple Trust Board chairman Penugonda Kesavarao, EO Golamari Srinivasa Reddy, former MLAs Kandula Narayana Reddy, Janke Venkatareddy, Markapur Zilla Sadhana Samithi JAC member Peddireddy Suryaprakash Reddy, former municipal chairman Vakkalagadda Mallikharjuna, and other prominent persons in the town sought blessings of the divine couple.
The public have to wait for a glimpse of Lord Chennakesava for nearly three hours under the scorching sun.
As the procession proceeds through Teruveedhi, Rajaji Bazaar, old bus stand, clock tower centre, Peda Dornala bus stand centre and Naidu Veedhi, devotees offered harathi. Hundreds of devotees competed for a chance to pull the chariot but only a few people got the chance.
The Chennakesava Swamy devotees in the town offered drinking water, buttermilk, flavoured rice and meals at various places for the devotees coming from other places.
Markapur DSP M Kishore Kumar arranged tight security by deploying more than a hundred police personnel and coordinating with CI Ramanjaneya Reddy, and town and rural SIs, and made sure no untoward incidents have occurred.