Gangamma Jatara off to a colourful start

Tirupati: The week-long folk festival Gangamma Jatara began with religious fervour here on Tuesday. The religious event will be organised in May month every year. This time, jatara will continue up to May 14. The temple priests Murali Swamy and Ramakrishna Swamy have tied the Vadibala sari to Dwajasthambam in front of the temple as part of jatara commencement.

Later, they performed Abhishekam to goddess Gangamma. It is custom for devotees, who attend the jatara, to call the passers-by using foul language. Devotees are following the custom for several decades on the first day of jatara.

In the event, devotees wear various attires of mythological characters as part of their vows. People strongly believe that goddess will protect them from diseases and evil spirits. On Tuesday, TTD Tirupati JEO B Laksmikantham along with his spouse Sobhalatha visited the Gangamma temple.

The temple chairman RC Munikrishna and EO Kasturi received them. Later, the temple authorities presented Ammavari Prasadams to the Tirupati JEO, after the couple presented traditional silks to the deity. On the first day, Tirupati sitting MLA Suguna, TUDA chairman Narasimha Yadav, temple trust members and devotees were present.