Hyderabad : Thousands of devotees participated the celestial wedding (Sitarama Kalyanam) at Sri Sita Ramachandra Swamy temple in Bhadrachalam town of Telangana on the occasion of Ram Navami on Sunday.
After gap of two years, the annual customary celebrations were organised with gaiety. Devotees from Telangana and Andhra Pradesh thronged the temple.
The celebrations were held in a grand way in the traditional manner. The temple was decked up for Sitarama Kalyanam.
There was no public congregation for the annual customary celebrations for last two years due to Covid-19 pandemic.
Every year thousands of people from both the Telugu states travel to Bhadrachalam to attend the celestial wedding of Lord Rama with his consort Sita.
Elaborate arrangements were made for the annual event at Mithali Stadium. The endowments department put up tents for devotees in view of soaring temperatures.
A group of priests performed elaborate rituals to mark the celestial celebrations. Endowments minister A. Indrakaran Reddy, transport minister P. Ajay and women and child welfare minister Satyavati Rathore offered ‘pattu vastralu’ (silk clothes) on behalf of the state government. Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanam (TTD) chairman Y. V. Subba Reddy also made the offerings.
Ministers and district collectors of Khammam and Bhadradri kothagudem districts offered ‘Mutyala talambralu’.
The temple authorities prepared two lakh packets of ‘prasadam’ for distribution among devotees. Elaborate arrangements were made to provide all facilities to the devotees.
More than 2,000 policemen were deployed as part of the security arrangements at the temple.
Ram Navami celebrations were also held at various temples in both the state.
Governors and chief ministers of both the states greeted people on Ram Navami. Andhra Pradesh Governor Biswa Bhusan Harichandan and his Telangana counterpart Tamilisai Soundararajan conveyed their greetings to people.
Telangana Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao conveyed his greetings to the people. He said that state government is conducting the annual mega religious fete- Sri Sitarama Kalyana Mahotsavam on a grand scale in Lord Sri Rama temple in Bhadrachalam.
KCR tweeted: “Lord Sita Rama Chandra is the most revered Indian God who sacrificed his life to uphold the Dharma in the spirit of the maxim “Dharmo Rakshati Rakshitah”.
The chief minister said that Lord Rama and Goddess Sita are role model for the future generations and their sacrifices for the well-being of the society will be remembered forever.
KCR prayed to Lord Ram and Goddess Sita to shower their blessings on people in the state and help them lead comfortable lives.
Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy greeted people and prayed for their well-being and prosperity.
–IANS