Pushpayagam performed with religious ecstasy

Tirupati: The annual floral festival of Pushpayagam has been performed with religious fervour at Kalyana Venkateswara Swamy temple in Srinivasa Mangapuram on Sunday. The utsava murthies seated on the special mandapam after performing Snapana Tirumanjanam (celestial bath) were rendered special bath with tonnes of varieties of flowers on the religious occasion.

According to the temple history, the festival dates back to 15th century and is reinstated by TTD in 1980. It is usually performed after annual Brahmotsavams of the respective temple as a purification ritual to the omissions and commissions performed either knowingly or unknowingly by the temple priests, authorities and even pilgrims.

This festival is also performed to appease Mother Nature from the natural calamities, including droughts, floods, volcanic eruptions, epidemics and other disasters. Over five tonnes of traditional and ornamental flowers have been used to offer floral bath to the deities. Chief Election Commissioner Bhanwar Lal, TTD Chairman Dr Ch Krishnamurthy, EO Dr D Sambasiva Rao, JEO Pola Bhaskar and others were present.