Owk (Nandyal district): The Ratha Saptami celebrations were held with great grandeur on Tuesday at the ancient Sri Suryanarayana Swamy temple in Shivavaram village in Owk mandal of Nandyal district.

This temple, believed to be over a thousand years old, is said to have been built by the Eastern Chalukya rulers.

The temple holds special significance as the idol of Sri Suryanarayana Swamy is enshrined between Kashyapa Prajapati on the right and Chhaya Devi on the left. This unique placement makes the temple a well-known spiritual destination.

The temple’s structure is based on the Surya Namaskara Sloka.

The Sloka signifies that Lord Surya is perceived as Brahma in the morning, Siva at noon and Vishnu in the evening. Reflecting this concept, the temple complex houses three sanctums: the Aditya temple in the front, the Maheshwara temple in the middle and the Chennakeshava temple at the rear, all within the same premises.

It is widely believed that seeking the darshan of Lord Surya on Ratha Saptami cleanses one’s past sins and grants health and longevity, as expressed in the saying, ‘Aarogyam Bhaskaraat Ichchet’ (Seek health from the Sun God). Every year, the villagers form a special committee to organise grand Surya Jayanti celebrations.

On the occasion of Ratha Saptami, special Abhishekams (ritualistic baths) were performed to the deity early in the morning, followed by decoration with exquisite flower garlands and Archana (worship). From 6 am onwards, mass recitations of Aditya Hrudayam and Bhagavad Gita were conducted with the participation of numerous devotees. The event also featured Chekka Bhajana, a traditional devotional performance, which entertained and spiritually uplifted the devotees.

A large number of devotees from various regions flocked to the temple to witness the grand celebrations, seek the deity’s blessings and perform special pujas on the auspicious occasion.