‘Gajendra Moksham’ performed at Simhachalam

Visakhapatnam: Marking ‘Kanuma’ festival, Sri Varaha Lakshmi Narasimha Swamy gives darshan to devotees as Lord Rama.

As part of the annual festival, ‘Gajendra Moksham’, also known as ‘Makaraveta’ was performed at at Udyanavanam (garden) of Devasthanam on the Kanuma day.

In line with the ritual, the idols of Lord Narasimha Swamy were carried over a palanquin from Simhachalam uphill to Tolipavancha.

The annual rituals were performed at Udyanavanam chanting Veda mantras.

As part of the traditions followed during ‘Gajendra Moksham’, a wooden elephant and a crocodile were included in the festival rituals.

The priests briefed the story of ‘Gajendra Moksham’ narrating that Lord Vishnu saved an elephant from the clutches of a crocodile (Makara) and liberated ‘Gajendra’ from the cycle of birth and death. Before becoming an elephant, Gajendra was the king Indradyumna, a devotee of Lord Vishnu. He became Gajendra following a curse of the sage Agastya.

However, after becoming an elephant following the curse, he attained Moksha and surrendered himself to Lord Vishnu hence this particular episode is known as ‘Gajendra Moksham’ in the Purana.

At Simhachalam, new crops will be offered to Lord Sri Varaha Lakshmi Narasimha Swamy as part of the rituals. Temple Sthanacharyulu TP Raja Gopal, ‘alankari’ K Sitaramacharyulu and other priests were present.