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Religious fervour marks Rathasapthami
Gaiety and religious fervour marked the annual Rathasapthami festival held in Tirumala and other local temples here on Sunday. In Tirumala, a large number of pilgrims turned out to witness the mega religious festival as it provides the rare opportunity to the devotees to have a glimpse of the processional deity being taken out in a procession atop seven vahanams in a single day,
Tirupati: Gaiety and religious fervour marked the annual Rathasapthami festival held in Tirumala and other local temples here on Sunday. In Tirumala, a large number of pilgrims turned out to witness the mega religious festival as it provides the rare opportunity to the devotees to have a glimpse of the processional deity being taken out in a procession atop seven vahanams in a single day, along the four mada streets around the shrine.
The festival took off on a colourful note with Suryaprabha Vahanam in the morning amidst chanting of hymns from scriptures by the Vedic pundits. The highlight of the event was the rendering of the two important verses in Sanskrit – Aditya Hrudayam and Suryashtakam by the students of the TTD-run Sri Venkateswara Balamandir, eulogising Sun God and his greatness, adding more to the religious ambience.
The students who were specially trained in rendering the verses in a rhythmic manner left the devotees spellbound by reciting the slokas with ease. The devotees turned ecstatic as the sun casts its glow on the processional deity riding Suryaprabha Vahanam, when it was passing through the west Mada Street. The hill shrine reverberated with the chants ‘Govinda', ‘Govinda’ by thousands of devotees.
Marking the occasion, two books – Vaikhanasa Bhagavachastro Nityarchanavidi written by late Kesavacharyulu and Surya Vaibhavam penned by noted writer Medasani Mohan, were released. Later, the deity was taken in a procession atop Chinna Sesha Vahanam, followed by Garuda Vahanam and Hanumantha Vahanam after which Chakra Snanam (Celestial bath to Sudarshana Chakrattalwar, the holy disc of Lord Venkateswara) was conducted in the temple tank (Pushkarini) in the afternoon.
After a break, the Vahana Seva resumed with Kalpavriksha Vahanam and Sarvabhoopala Vahanam. The colourful religious spectacle came to an end with Chandraprabha Vahanam in the evening. TTD Chairman Chadalavada Krishnamurthy, Executive Officer D Sambasiva Rao and a host of TTD officials and others were among those present to witness the day-long religious fete.
