Elaborate arrangements being made for Rottela Panduga

Nellore: Elaborate arrangements are being made for the five-day Rottela Panduga to be held at Baara Shahid dargah in Nellore city.

The festival will be conducted from July 17 to 21. According to sources, Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu is likely to take part in the Rottela Panduga on the opening day. It is the festival happening for the first time after the TDP-led NDA came to power in the State following the 2024 elections.

It is expected that about 20 lakh devotees from across the country and abroad like Pakistan, Sri Lanka, China, and Dubai are likely to take participate in the event.

S K Amanullah, one of the dargah priests, explained that Rottela Panduga will begin with ‘Shahadath’ in which special prayers will be organised in respect of 12 Muslim warriors who sacrificed their lives in the ‘Holy War’ of 1751.

On the second day, sandal festival (Gandhamahosavam) will be held in which sandalwood paste will be applied to the 12 tombs of the warriors by Kadapa cleric. Later, the sandalwood paste will be distributed to the devotees.

On the third day ‘Jirayath’ meant to praising warriors will be organised in the interest of communal harmony.

The main festival will conclude with ‘Thahaleel Fathea’ as the tombs of warriors would be covered with green cloths after the performance of the rituals to keep the souls of the martyrs in peace.

As per the ritual, the devotees take holy dip in the Nellore tank (Swarnala Cheruvu) and exchange breads (Rottelu) on the last day (fifth day) of the festival.

Over the years, the Bara Shahid dargah has turned into a popular pilgrimage centre as the devotees firmly believe that the 12 martyrs will bless the people who visit the dargah during the annual fest and their wishes will be fulfilled.

According to the legend, in 1751 as many as 12 Muslim warriors belonging to Bidar of Karnatraka, were on a mission to promote Hindus and Muslims unity after pilgrimage to Mecca.

They were confronted with an army headed by Chola king Valaja at Gandavaram village in Kodavaluru mandal of Nellore district and their heads were cut off in the war.

Even though they were beheaded, they rode on their horses with trunks up to Durgamitta area in Nellore city covering a distance of 25 kilometres before they were dead.

Very next day the warriors appeared in the dream of a Muslim priest and asked him to construct 12 tombs in their memory at the site where their headless bodies were lying. Since that day the area was called ‘Dargamitta’ instead of Durgamitta.

Devotees believe that those who take part in the annual festival would be blessed by the 12 martyrs. Every year devotees visit the dargah during the annual event after their wishes are fulfilled as a thanksgiving and leave Rottelu in the holy tank for others to pick them up for fulfillment of their wish.

Expecting heavy crowds for the 5-day event, the district administration in coordination with the people’s representatives is making all arrangements to cater to the requirements of devotees.

Municipal Administration & Urban Development Minister Ponguru Narayana along with Nellore MP Vemireddy Prabhakara Reddy, Nellore Rural MLA Kotamreddy Sridhar Reddy conducted a review meeting with officials.

Collector O Anand who took charge recently also conducted a meeting with the officials of revenue, muunicipal, police, electricity and APSRTC and instructed them to take steps for the success of mega event.