Kunti Madhava temple festival begins today

Pithapuram: The seven-day Kalyanotsavam of Lord Kunti Madava and Rajyalakshmidevi commenced here on Thursday with the performance of Dwajarohanam and Vishvaksenapuja.

On January 26, Srichakraperumallu Gramotsavam is scheduled, while Gajavahanaseva and Kalyanotsavam of deities will be performed on January 27.

On January 28 and 29, gramotsav will be celebrated taking the deities on the vahanams  of Garuda and Ponna. A car (chariot) festival of the deities will be held on January 30.

Events like folk art performances and bursting of crackers are scheduled as part of the celebrations. On January 31, the Chakrasnanam of the deities will be performed. 

Local MLA NVSN Varma and Kunti Madhava Swamy temple Executive Officer Ch V Ramana Murthy are supervising arrangements.  According to the legend, the deity has been named as Kunti Madhavaswamy because the deity’s idol was installed by Kunti, mother of the Pandavas. As per another story in circulation, the deity sports a mace in one of the hands. The mace is called Kunti.

Puranic texts say that sage Narada became Sudati and married the then Pithapuram ruler Nikundudu. The erstwhile rulers of the princely estate of Pithapuram used to worship the deity. The prasad of the deity was daily sent to the Maharajah’s palace.  The first puja is performed in the name of the erstwhile rulers of Pithapuram. 

Of the jewellery donated by the erstwhile ruler, the ornament featuring the words ``Namoh Narayanaya” is very important. The temple which dates back to the Before Christ era was destroyed many times during conquests, but it was given face lift on more than one occasion. 

By Saride Nageswara Rao