Vizianagaram: Fervour marks Sirimanu Utsav

Vizianagaram: The North Andhra famous Pydithalli Sirimanu Utsav was conducted in a peaceful manner on Tuesday. This year due to corona pandemic the festival was conducted in a low-key manner.

Only the traditional events were included in the programme and no other programmes were taken up. The district administration has restricted the people from entering on to the roads through which the procession was taken out. Around 40 check-posts were set up on various routes which led to Ammavari temple.

Bantupalli Venkata Rao, chief priest sat on Sirimanu and blessed the people of Vizianagaram, to lead a healthy and happy life.

Minister for Municipal Administration and Urban Development Botcha Satyanarayana offered silk clothes to Goddess Pydithalli on behalf of the State government. On Tuesday, he visited the temple along with wife Jhansi and prayed to the Goddess to bless the people with prosperity, health and wealth. State Assembly Speaker Tammineni Seetharam also visited the temple and had a darsan of the presiding deity. MP, MLAs and others also had darshan of the Goddess.

The history of Sri Pydithalli Ammavari Temple dates back to the 18th century. As per documented history, Goddess Pydimamba was the sister of king Vijayarama Raju of the Gajapati samsthanam. In 1756, there was a continuous rivalry between the king of Vizianagaram and the king of Bobbili. Pydimanba, the sister of Vijayarama Raju, tried to convince her brother not to go for war, which causes huge loss of life and leads to destruction. But Vijayarama Raju didn't listen to her and he attacked Bobbili fort with the help of the French army led by General De Bussy, which led to the 'Bobbili Battle' on January 23, 1757.

During the battle, several Bobbili soldiers were killed and the Bobbili fort was almost demolished. Pydimamba came to know about the destruction and she wanted to send a message through a soldier named Patiwada Appala Naidu to her brother. On Vijaya Dasami, she received the sad news that Vijayarama Raju was killed by Tandra Papa Rayudu. Hearing the tragic news, she fainted and fell ill. She felt that it was time for her soul to get immersed in Goddess Durga. She died on next Tuesday. The villagers found an idol of her on the western part of Pedda Cheruvu (lake). They constructed a temple at that place and installed her idol near the lake.