CM makes Rathasaptami special with new chariot for Antarvedi

Kesavudu Kakinada: Amaravati: Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy on Friday inaugurated the chariot (ratham) of Sri Lakshminarasimha Swamy temple at Antarvedi in East Godavari district coinciding with the auspicious day of 'Rathasaptami'.

The new chariot was built with a cost of Rs 1 crore after a fire gutted the previous one on September 5 last year.

After offering puja and aarti to the 40-feet chariot, the Chief Minister lent his hand in pulling it to herald its commissioning. Earlier, the Chief Minister was given a traditional welcome on his arrival.

He had a darshan of the main deity and participated in the puja after which he was given Vedasirvachanam.

A 60-year-old wooden chariot of the Antarvedi temple was gutted in a mysterious fire in September last year, sparking a political and religious row which forced the state government to seek a CBI inquiry. On the instruction of the Chief Minister, the new chariot was completed in record time ahead of the annual 'Kalyanotsavam'.

The new chariot with six wheels and seven tiers was made out of 1,330 cubic feet of wood and is equipped with hydraulic brakes and has a protective shed with iron gates.

Opposition parties BJP, TDP and Jana Sena had blamed the state government for the chariot burning incident and it also acquired religious hues, with some groups alleging the lackadaisical attitude of the state government in safeguarding Hindu temples.

State Ministers Chelluboyina Venugopala Krishna, K Kannababu, P Viswaroop, MPs, MLAs, and officials were present on the occasion.