Varalakshmi Vratham performed with fervour

Tirupati: Varalakshmi Vratham, a women’s festival, performed with pomp and gaiety at the Padmavathi Ammavari Temple in Tiruchanur on Friday. The Acting Chief Justice of High Court at Hyderabad Ramesh Ranganathan, TTD Chairman Dr Ch Krishnamurthy and TTD Executive Officer Dr D Sambasiva Rao, TTD board members Suchitra Ella and Bhanuprakash Reddy, MLA Sugunamma and JEO Pola Bhaskar took part.

As part of the festival, Utsava idol of Padmavathi was brought to the Asthana Mandapam for the rituals. The mandapam was decorated colorfully with flowers and electrical illuminations.

Later, the Varalakshmi Vratham was celebrated in traditional style. The temple priest P Srinivasan narrated the legend of Varalakshmi Vratham as glorified in the Skanda Puranam.

The daily rituals of Lakshmi puja, Kalyanotsavam, Kumkumarchana and Unjal seva were suspended for the day. Among others who participated in the event were Deputy Executive Officer Chinnagari Ramana, Deputy EO (services) Vijayasarathi and other senior officials and devotees were present.

Meanwhile, the women faced lot of inconvenience to have the glimpse of the goddess with heavy flow of VIPs and huge rush of devotees, who thronged the famous shrine in large number due to the auspicious occasion. The temples in and around the pilgrim city also witnessed a heavy rush of
devotees.

Goddess rides on golden chariotOn occasion of auspicious Varalakshmi Vratham, the processional deity of Goddess Padmavathi was taken in a procession atop a golden chariot in Tiruchanur. The deity adorned with dazzling and rare jewels, moving on the Mada streets, atop the tastefully decorated flower decked Swarna Ratham, feasted the eyes of the devotees gathered to witness the spectacle.

Chittoor: Womenfolk took part in Varalakshmi Vratham with religious fervour here on Friday, on the occasion of Sravana Sukravaram. Women devotees have thronged the temples of Goddess Lakshmi Devi from the early hours. It became difficult for police personnel to regulate devotees at Durga temple in Durganagar Colony.

As a result, traffic came to standstill for hours together. In the evening, women employees working in various departments have performed Sowbhagya Lakshmi Vratham.

Speaking to The Hans India here, Santhi Krishna, a senior employee in the Police department, stated that several women employees could not perform Varalakshmi Vratham as it was working day. “Both the Central and the State governments should declare holiday for Varalakshmi Vratham,” she added. Even, working women from other fields have echoed the same opinion.