Mass Varalakshmi Vrathams held at Srisailam

Srisailam: The Srisailam Devasthanam on Friday organised mass Varalakshmi Vratams as part of its dharmic outreach, marking the fifth Friday of the holy Sravana month.

The rituals, conducted at Chandravathi Kalyana Mandapam near the temple’s northern gateway, drew the participation of more than 1,600 devotees, including 650 women from Chenchu tribal communities of Nandyal, Prakasam, and Palnadu districts. A similar programme had earlier been held on August 8.

The temple authorities provided all puja materials, with separate kalashas arranged for each participant.

The proceedings began with Mahaganapati Puja and were followed by Shodashopachara Pujas, the collective installation of kalashas, and the recitation of the Varalakshmi Vratam story. At the conclusion, participants received blessings through neerajanam and mantra pushpam.

All women who took part were presented with sarees, ravika cloths, flowers, bangles, sacred threads, tulasi and usiri saplings as vriksha prasadam, copies of the Srisaila Prabha monthly magazine, and prasadam in three varieties.

Special queue arrangements were made for darshan of Sri Mallikarjuna Swamy and Sri Bhramaramba Devi, followed by annaprasadam at the Annapurna Bhavan. LED screens were installed at the mandapam to facilitate viewing of the rituals.

Executive Officer M Srinivas Rao, Deputy EO R Ramanamma, Assistant EO M Haridasu, PRO T Srinivas Rao, and other temple officials supervised the arrangements. ITDA Project Officer K. Venkata Sivaprasad, Additional PD KP Nayak, and ITDA staff also took part. Officials highlighted the significance of Srisailam in Chenchu tradition, where Lord Mallikarjuna is revered as their son-in-law and Goddess Bhramaramba as their daughter, and noted that performing such vratas at the Jyotirlinga shrine brings immense spiritual merit.