Thousands worship Gangamma
Tirupati: Thousands of devotees witnessed goddess Gangamma on the final day of week-long jatara. Ganga Jatara turned colourful as devotees danced with traditional bamboo tower structures “Sapparalu” in temple premises in the early hours of Tuesday.
More than 1.5 lakh devotees had darshan from wee hours of Tuesday to late in the night. As part of the age-old custom, devotees carried castle-like structures made out of bamboo, amidst reverberating sounds of traditional music instruments like drums and trumpet.
Devotees danced their way to the temple while carrying the Sapparalu with utmost reverence. After 12 am of midnight priests have performed special Abhishekam in the presence of temple trust board Chairman, board members and devotees.
It is believed that carrying a Sapparam would help the people in seeking divine intervention for some of troublesome problems in their daily lives. Before that, from 12.30 am onwards, hundreds of devotees stood in queue lines with pongal pots (Sweet rice) on their heads to offer to Goddess Gangamma.
After performing Abhishekam, temple authorities have allowed the devotees to have Ammavari darshan. On this occasion, temple Archakas decorated the deity with specially designed ornaments like crown made of diamonds, necklace and others.
The temple was also decorated with colourful flowers and electrical illuminations. Many devotees don the attire of “Perantalu” mythological getups and reached the temple in the evening and offered prayers to the Goddess Gangamma. It is one of the main attraction in Tirupati folk festival.
Despite the ban imposed by the government on animal sacrifices, large number of people sacrificed various animals especially goats and cocks in fulfilment of their vows to the Gangamma.
On the occasion, various social service organisations and corporate institutions served food and buttermilk to the devotees. In view of the heavy turnout at the temple on the final day, Tirupati Urban police have deployed the additional force for bandobust at temple premises and diverted the traffic in all the roads leading to the temple.
Tirupati East DSP has supervised the security arrangements at temple premises. Above 200 police officers and staff including armed reserve platoon performed duties.
Municipal Corporation of Tirupati (MCT) officials have provided cooking facility for making of Pongal at TUDA Indira Maidanam (grounds) and set up public toilets for the convenience of devotees.
Meanwhile, Minister for Industries N Amaranatha Reddy, city MLA M Suguna, TTD Trust Board Chairman P Sudhakar Yadav, TUDA Chairman G Narasimaha Yadav, Temple Chairman RC Munikrishna and other VIPs offered prayers to the deity.
The annual folk religious festival will conclude with “Viswaroopa Darshanam” to be held at first light (sun rise) on Wednesday early hours. During the event, the idol of Gangamma made of soil will be smashed before the sunrise by hereditary archakas of Viswa Brahmin community with which the whole event concludes.