Rathasapthami celebrated with devotion, gaiety

Ongole: Religious fervour marked Rathasapthami festival in Prakasam district. Devotees organised and participated in the processions of presiding deities at various temples.

The Chennakesava Swamy temple in Ongole celebrated the Rathasapthami by taking out the processions of the presiding deity on various Vahanams. The temple EO and committee members also participated in the processions which include Suryaprabha Vahanam, Hanumantha Vahanam, Garuda Vahanam, Chandraprabha Vahanam etc., from early morning to evening.

At Srigiri Sri Venkateswara Swamy temple in Ongole, which belongs to Courtalam Sri Siddheswari Peetham, Vedic pundits and priests performed the Aditya Homam celebrating the Rathasapthami while Srivaru with His consorts Sridevi and Bhudevi on either side, blessed the devotees on Suryaprabha Vahanam.

The Venkateswara Balabhaktha Samajam at Dakshinam Bazaar, which was established in 1953, has been conducting the Rathasapthami processions since then. The members of the Samajam organised the processions touring the town with presiding deity Sri Venkateswara Swamy starting in the early morning.

They organised the processions of the Lord in various Vahanams including Suryaprabha Vahanam, Sarvabhupala Vahanam, Sesha Vahanam, Hanumantha Vahanam, Garuda Vahanam and Chandraprabha Vahanam in the evening, by performing puja and distributing prasadam to the devotees.

In Markapur, Sri Sridevi Bhudevi Sameta Sri Lakshmi Chennakesava Swamy temple celebrated the Rathasapthami festival in a grand manner with a series of divine chariots. The Suryaprabha Vahanam started at 5.30 am and Lord Chennakesava offered blessings to the devotees who gathered in large number in the main streets.

Later, the Almighty was taken out on a procession on the Sesha Vahanam, Garuda Vahanam, Hanumantha Vahanam, Kalpavriksha Vahanam, Rajata Vahanam, and Chandraprabha Vahanam and offered a darshan of a lifetime to the people who attended the festival. Each of the processions was taken out in a procession in a gap of one-and-a-half hours.

In the meantime, the priests offered Chakrasnanam to rejuvenate the forces of the God and give an opportunity to the devotees to feel the mightiness of divine powers.

Minister for Municipal Administration and Urban Development Dr Audimulapu Suresh and other local leaders offered special pujas to Chennakesava Swamy and prayed for the wellbeing of the people.

People representing various organisations and societies offered free meals at different places in the town, while artistes presented cultural programmes on the occasion.

Other temples in the district also organised special pujas and festivities on the occasion of Rathasapthami.