Bhadradri reverberates with Jai Sriram chants

Bhadrachalam/Khammam: Thousands of devotees participated in Ram Navami celebrations at Sri Sita Ramachandra Swamy temple in Bhadrachalam town of Telangana on Thursday. Devotees from both Telangana and Andhra Pradesh took part in Sitarama Kalyanam.

The celestial wedding commenced with performing Kalyanam rituals traditionally to the main deity (Mulavirat) in the sanctum sanctorum between 8 am and 9 am. Then, Kalyana Murtulu, idols of Lord Rama and Sita were brought to the Mithila Mandapam amidst Vedic chants for performing the celestial wedding. The priests performed Vishvaksena puja, Punyavachanam puja, and Kanyavaruna puja. The Pravara Krathuvu (reciting the Gotra and names of the lineage) of Rama and Sita were recited.

At 12 noon, on the auspicious Punarvasu Nakshatra in Abhijit Lagna, amidst Vedic chanting, the priests following the traditional native wedding practices observed in the two Telugu states, the paste made out of cumin (Jeelakarra) and jaggery (Bellam) on a betel leaf was placed on the heads of each other by the bride and groom amidst Vedic chants.

The "Churnuka Veduka" (event) was held, in which priests narrated the meaning and importance of marriage. This was followed by "Mangalasutra Dharana" (tying the knot) amidst devotees chanting "Hail to Ram and Sita", "Jai Jai Ram, Sita Ram".

Following the age-old tradition, Endowment Minister A Indrakaran Reddy offered "Pattu Vastralu" (silk cloths) and 'Mutyala Talambralu' to Lord Rama and his consort Sita on behalf of the State government. Priests performed the rituals of Sitarama Kalyanam in the presence of Tridandi Chinna Jeeyar Swamy.

Public representatives and District Collectors of Khammam and Bhadradri Kothagudem districts offered 'Mutyala Talambralu'. Silk clothes and pearls were also presented to the celestial couple by the Tirumala-Tirupati Devasthanam (TTD), Tirumala, Sri Rangam temple from Tamil Nadu, Chinna Jeeyar Mutt, Hyderabad.

Haryana Governor Bandaru Dattatreya, MP M Kavitha, MLC Tata Madhusudhan, AP Assembly Speaker Thammineni Seetharam, District Collector D Anudeep, District SP Dr G Vineeth, several judges of the High Court were among the VIPs witnessed the celestial wedding.

Rajya Sabha MP Vaddiraju Ravichandra, Bhadrachalam MLA Podem Veeraiah and Commissioner of Endowment V Anil Kumar were took part in the celebrations. The "Tiruveedhi Seva" took place late on Thursday evening by taking Lord Rama and his consort Sita on Chandraprabha Vahanam in a procession.

The "Pushkara Samrajya Pattabhishekam (coronation held once in 12 years) of Lord Rama will be held on Friday in Mithila stadium.

District officials said that Telangana Governor Dr Tamilisai Soundararajan will attend the event.