Lord Rama appears as groom

 Bhadrachalam: The process of preparing ‘Talambralu’ for the celestial wedding of Lord Rama with Sita at Sri Sita Ramachandra Swamy temple in Bhadrachalam on March 26, began here on Friday, with performing ‘snapana thirumanjanam’ to the utsav idols with 25 kalasalu filled with panchamrutham.

After conducting a special puja in Chitrakuta Mandapam, the wives of the priests had prepared 20 quitantals of talambralu with turmeric, kumkum, ghee, bukka, gulal, attar and sugandha dravyalu (aromatic substances), on the day.

Later the idols were placed in the decorated cradle, while asthana singers Ramadasu and Tumu Narasimha Dasu rendered kirtans.  Thousands of devotees witnessed special pujas and khumba harathi, offered to the deities. A special puja was performed as part of dolotsavam/ Vasanthotsavam. Vasanthotsavam was organised as per tradition marking Holi Pournami. 

As per the tradition that Lord Rama will be dressed like a groom by both the locals and devotees on the same day, Lord Rama was decorated like a groom. On the occasion of Pournami, tiru veedhi seva was organised along with the processional idols of Anjaneya Swamy and Lakshmi Tayaru after sprinkling holy water on them. 

Temple Executive Officer K Prabhaker Srinivas, Sub-Collector Pameela Satpathy and priests KE Stala Sai, P Jagannadha Charyulu, and others attended the programme.