Markapuram: Over a lakh devotees witness Chennakesava Rathotsavam

Markapuram : The four Mada Veedhis of the Bhudevi Sridevi Sametha Sri Lakshmi Chennakesava Swamy temple were thronged by more than one lakh devotees from Giddalur, Yerragondapalem, Kanigiri and Markapur areas to witness the beautiful chariot festival on Saturday.

The temple staff decorated the Chennakesava Swamy chariot with colourful flowers, garlands and bright electric lights since morning. The temple priests under the supervision of chief priest Sripati Appanacharyulu, decorated the newly-wedded deities Bhudevi Sridevi Sametha Sri Lakshmi Chennakesava Swamy with diamonds and other precious stones embedded in gold and silver ornaments and crowns. They performed the Viswaksena Puja and other rituals before offering the Kushmanda and Chitranna Bali to the Gods to see the procession is safe and beautiful.

Before the Ratha Yatra started from the chariot chamber, Minister for Municipal Administration and Urban Development Dr Audimulapu Suresh, Markapur MLA K P Nagarjuna Reddy, Giddalur MLA Anna Rambabu, YSRCP district president Janke Venkatareddy, former MLA Kandula Narayana Reddy, Municipal Chairman Chillamcharla Bala Murali Krishna, temple Trust Board Chairman Penugonda Kesavarao, EO Golamari Srinivasa Reddy, Sub-Collector Sethu Madhavan and other prominent persons in the town sought blessings of the divine couple. However, the public waited for a glimpse of the lord Chennakesava for nearly 3 hours bearing scorching heat.

As the procession proceeded through the Teruveedhi, Rajaji Bazaar, the old bus stand, the Clock Tower centre, Peda Dornala bus stand centre and Naidu Veedhi, the devotees hailed the Lord by chanting Jai Chennakesava… Jai Chennakesava… and offered the Harathi from places where they were standing for more than two hours. Hundreds of devotees competed for a chance to pull the chariot but only a few people got the chance. The Chennakesava Swamy devotees in the town offered drinking water, buttermilk, flavoured rice and meals at various places for devotees from other places.

Markapur DSP Dr M Kishore Kumar arranged tight security by deploying more than a 100 police personnel and coordinating with the CI M Bhima Naik, town SI Sasikumar and rural SI Suman, making sure no untoward incidents occurred.