Bhadrachalam: ‘Uttara Dwaram Darshan’ celebrated with fervour

Bhadrachalam : The air in the temple town resonated with the chants of “Jai Sri Ram... Jaya Jaya Ram... Jai Sri Ram,” as devotees eagerly awaited the auspicious day of ‘Uttara Dwara Darshanam’ during the Mukkoti Ekadasi festival here on Saturday. Celebrations reached their pinnacle with a vibrant display of tradition as the authorities conducted the festival in fully traditional manner.

Thousands of devotees flocked to the Sri Sita Ramachandra Swamy temple in Bhadrachalam, eager to witness the darshan of Lord Rama, accompanied by Sita and Laxman, through Uttara Dwaram. Devotees queued for hours, starting as early as 5 am, to catch a glimpse of the beautifully decorated Uttara Dwaram adorned with colourful flowers.

During the procession, Lord Rama appeared on the Garuda Vahanam, Goddess Sita on Gaja Vahanaam, and Lord Ram Laxman Hanumanth on their respective vehicles. According to temple history, Lord Rama manifests here in the Maha Vishnu form with Shanku and Chakras.

The priests declared the successful completion of the Uttara Dwaram along with the Pagal Pattu celebrations. Notable attendees included MLAs Dr Tellam Venkat Rao; Payam Venkateswarlu; Kanakaiah; and Nadhini Mallu, the wife of Deputy Chief Minister. Stringent security measures were implemented by the police to ensure the safety of the festival.

In continuation of the 21-day Mukkoti Adhyanothsavalu, the 11-day Pagalpattu Utsavalu concluded, marking the beginning of Rapathu (after the sunset) celebrations.

The first of these long traditional festivals unfolded grandly on Saturday at the Assistant Superintendent of Police Office Bungalow. The festivities are set to unfold at various suggested locations over the next ten days, promising a cultural extravaganza for the residents and visitors of Bhadrachalam.