Gangamma jatara begins in Tirupati

Tirupati: A week-long mega local religious festival (Tirupati Gangamma Jatara) kicked off here on Tuesday. Jatara held during May every year will continue till May 15.

The fest began after temple's main priest Murali Swamy, Archakas Raghava, Nagaraju and Deva covered the dwajasthambham with "vadibala" saree. Later the priests conducted pooja in front of the temple.

There was huge turnout of devotees to watch jatara as Gangamma temple chairman Muni Krishna and EO Pagadala Subramanyam announced that jatara was underway.

Devotees, who attend Jatara, practise a custom of calling the passersby using foul language. The folk artists wear different costumes to look like mythological characters. “Though there might be Jataras of local gods across the state but the custom of calling the passersby names and using abusive language does not exist anywhere.

This feature is unique to the Gangama Jatara,” said a researcher of folk festivals P Srinivasul Reddy, who is also a professor in Telugu Department in SVU University. He said: "This Jatara has been going on for decades. People believe that Tirupati Gangamma will protect them from disease and evil spirits."