Over 1 lakh devotees witness Chennakesava Rathotsavam

Markapur: The four Mada streets of the Bhudevi-Sridevi sametha Sri Lakshmi Chennakesava Swamy temple were thronged by more than one lakh devotees from Giddalur, Yerragondapalem, Kanigiri and Markapur to witness the beautiful chariot festival here on Saturday.

The temple staff decorated the chariot of the Chennakesava Swamy with colourful flowers and garlands and bright electric lights since morning. Temple chief priest Nandhyala Tirumalacharyulu, priests Sripathi Appanacharyulu, Nandhyala Srinivasacharyulu, Rangacharyulu and Somayajula Mallikharjuna Sarma decorated Bhudevi Sridevi Sametha Sri Lakshmi Chennakesava Swamy with diamonds and other precious stones embedded with gold and silver ornaments and crowns.

They performed the Viswaksena puja and other rituals before offering the Kushmanda and Chitranna bali to the gods to see the procession is safe and beautiful. Before the Rathayatra started from the chariot chamber at around 6.15 pm, Minister Sidda Raghavarao, Markapur TDP MLA candidate Kandula Narayana Reddy, RDO G Ramakrishna Reddy, DSP Nageswara Reddy, Temple Trust Board chairman Yakkali Kasi Viswanatham, assistant secretary Kopparapu Srinivasa Rao, Municipal Commissioner Raveendra, temple EO B Ramesh and other prominent persons in the town sought blessings of the presiding deities.

As the procession passed through Teruveedhi, Rajaji Bazaar, old bus stand, the clock tower center, Peda Dornala bus stand center and Naidu Veedhi, the devotees hailed the Lord by chanting Jai Chennakesava… Jai Chennakesava… and offered the Harathi from the places they were standing for more than two hours to witness the divine procession.

Hundreds of the devotees competed for a chance to pull the chariot. The Chennakesava Swamy devotees in the town offered drinking water, buttermilk, flavoured rice and meals at various places for the devotees coming from other places.

Markapur DSP Nageswara Reddy arranged tight security by deploying nearly 120 police personnel and coordinating with CI Sridhar Reddy, town and rural SIs Anjaneyulu and Mallikhajuna.