‘Dolotsavam’, ‘Vasanthotsavam’ celebrated with gaiety

Visakhapatnam: Marking ‘Phalguna Pournami’, Sri Varaha Lakshmi Narasimha Swamy temple celebrated ‘Dolotsavam’, ‘Vasanthotsavam’, and ‘Thiruveedhi utsavam’ were celebrated with great spiritual fervor at Simhachalam Devasthanam on Tuesday.

The annual ‘Dolotsavam’ was celebrated on a grand scale under the supervision of the Devasthanam’s Executive Officer J Venkata Rao.

The celebrations began in the early hours of Tuesday morning, while the deities of Lord Sri Varaha Lakshmi Narasimha Swamy decked up for the occasion.

At 4 am amidst the chanting of sacred Vedic hymns, the Lord was ceremoniously brought down the hill through the stairway.

The celestial procession proceeded towards the mandapam of the Pushkarini satram where Dolotsavam, Vasanthotsavam, and other sacred rituals were performed following traditions. At the Tholipavancha, temple officials including the EO, assistant executive officers, engineering officials and villagers offered a ceremonial welcome to the Lord. Adding spiritual significance to the celebrations, special puja rituals were performed at the Pydithalli Ammavari temple (worshipped as a sibling of Lord Sri Varaha Lakshmi Narasimha Swamy), Vishwaksena Aradhana in accordance with traditions, adding spiritual significance to the festivities.

Meanwhile, the spiritual importance and cultural essence of the festival were explained by Sthanacharya TP Rajagopalacharya to the devotees on the occasion.

The divine engagement ceremony of the Lord Sri Varaha Lakshmi Narasimha Swamy was celebrated, while the temple premises reverberated with devotional spirit. Devotees showered colors upon one another, symbolising unity, devotion, and the spirit of the occasion as part of ‘Churnotsavam’.

Later, the priests closed the temple doors after performing ‘sudhi’ (purification) rituals following ‘Chandra grahanam’ (Lunar eclipse). Also, various temples across Visakhapatnam remained closed on the occasion of Chandra Grahanam.