Grandeur, fervour mark Poleramma jatara in Venkatagiri
Minister for Endowments Anam Ramanarayana Reddy carrying silk robes to present to Goddess Poleramma in Venkatagiri on Thursday. Collector S Venkateswar, MLA K Ramakrishna and others are also seen.
- Minister Ramanarayana Reddy offered silk robes to the folk goddess
- He says, the government offers gold ornaments worth Rs 1.7 cr to the goddess
Tirupati: The annual Shakti Swaroopini Poleramma Jatara was celebrated with grandeur and state honours on Thursday in Venkatagiri.
Endowments Minister Anam Ramanarayana Reddy offered silk robes to the goddess on behalf of the government, accompanied by District Collector Dr S Venkateswar, local MLA Kurugondla Ramakrishna, Endowments Commissioner K Ramachandra Mohan, and Committee Chairman Gollakunta Murali Krishna.
Speaking on the occasion, Minister Ramanarayana Reddy expressed happiness that Poleramma Jatara, a tradition in Venkatagiri, is being organised as a State festival for the second consecutive year after the formation of the coalition government.
He prayed for the health and prosperity of the people, describing the festival as a symbol of Andhra Pradesh’s cultural strength. He recalled that earlier only five temples enjoyed state festival recognition, but under Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu’s leadership, this number has now been increased to 11, each receiving financial support of up to Rs 50 lakh.
For this year’s Poleramma Jatara alone, Rs 40 lakh was released by the Endowments Department.
Highlighting the government’s commitment, the Minister announced that gold ornaments worth Rs 1.7 crore, including a crown, golden hands, and golden feet – had been prepared for the goddess. He also laid the foundation stone for a building complex and meditation hall to be constructed with an investment of Rs 1.65 crore, supported by permanent revenue from 72 acres of temple trust land. Plans are also underway to establish a dedicated space for naivedyam offerings.
Local MLA Kurugondla Ramakrishna noted that the government had allocated finances this year to ensure smooth arrangements and added that the festival was being celebrated on a much grander scale than in the past.
District Collector Dr S Venkateswar said that nearly Rs 50 lakh was spent on arrangements to provide devotees a comfortable darshan experience. Over 1,000 police personnel were deployed to ensure safety, under the supervision of District SP V Harshavardhan Raju.
The event saw the participation of public representatives, endowments officials, Gudur Sub-Collector Raghavendra Meena, and large numbers of devotees, who expressed joy at witnessing the festival celebrated with such grandeur.
