Devotees celebrate Ratha Saptami with Aditya Homam, processions

Ongole: The Hindu fraternity in Ongole celebrated Rathasaptami on Sunday by organising and participating in homams and processions of the deities Sri Chennakesava Swamy and Sri Venkateswara Swamy on Suryaprabha Vahanam.

The Chennakesava Swamy temple in Ongole celebrated the Rathasaptami by performing various Vahana Sevas to the presiding deity. The temple EO and committee members also participated in the processions of Suryaprabha Vahanam, Hanumantha Vahanam, Garuda Vahanam, Chandraprabha Vahanam, etc., from early morning until late evening.

At the Srigiri Sri Venkateswara Swamy temple, under the diocese of Kurtalam Sri Siddheswari Peetham, the pundits and priests performed the Aditya Homam to celebrate Rathasaptami, while Srivaru, with Sridevi and Bhudevi on either side, blessed the devotees during Suryaprabha Vahanam.

The Venkateswara Balabhaktha Samajam in Dakshinam Bazaar, established in 1953, has been conducting the Rathasaptami procession since then. The members of the Samajam organised processions touring the town with the presiding deity, Sri Venkateswara Swamy, starting early in the morning. They performed the procession on Suryaprabha Vahanam, Sarvabhupala Vahanam, Sesha Vahanam, Hanumantha Vahanam, Garuda Vahanam, and Chandraprabha Vahanam in the evening, with puja and prasadam distributed to the devotees.

In Markapur, the Sri Sridevi Bhudevi sameta Sri Lakshmi Chennakesava Swamy temple celebrated Rathasaptami with a series of divine chariots. The Suryaprabha Vahanam started at 05.30 AM, and Lord Chennakesava offered blessings to the devotees packed in the main streets. Later, the almighty adorned the Sesha Vahanam, Garuda Vahanam, Hanumantha Vahanam, Kalpavriksha Vahanam, Rajata Vahanam, and Chandraprabha Vahanam and offered a darshan of a lifetime to the people who attended the festival, between intervals of one and a half hours.

In the meantime, the priests offered Chakrasnanam to rejuvenate the god’s forces and give devotees an opportunity to feel the might of divine powers.

Other temples in the town also organised special puja and festivities, along with cultural programmes, to celebrate Rathasaptami on Sunday.