Thousands witness celestial wedding of Raghunayaka Swami

Ongole: The Raghunayaka Swami’s 233rd Kalyanotsavam was performed in Chadalawada village amid much fanfare and thousands of the devotees on Monday.The Raghunayaka Temple which was constructed in the Chadalawada village in Naguluppalapadu mandal centuries ago has the tradition of conducting celestial marriage every year. 

The legend says that Lord Sri Rama on his quest for his wife halted at Chaturvatika and sent the allies in four directions for searching Sita. The place, Chaturvatika became Chadalawada later and the locals constructed a temple of Rama as Raghunayaka. It is also a tradition that the Talambralu should be sent from the Bhadrachalam Temple and they would be poured on the celestial couple only after a divine signal, three times circumambulation of Garuda above the temple.

On Monday, thousands of the devotees from various places in the Prakasam, Nellore and Guntur districts reached Chadalawada to participate in the celestial marriage and seek the blessings of divine couple.

The EO Karanam Venkateswara Rao, Ongole Rural CI M Murali Krishna made all arrangements for the marriage and the priests performed marriage.The couples of Santanutalapadu MLA Adimulapu Suresh, Ongole DSP B Srinivasa Rao and cine artist Sampurnesh Babu also participated in the marriage of the Raghunayaka Swami. 

The Rathotsavam in the evening was performed under vibrant and colorfully decorated lights. Hundreds of devotees participated in the procession.