Ugadi celebrations launched on massive scale at Srisailam

Bhramarambika appears as Mahalakshmi Srisailam (Kurnool): Ugadi, the Telugu new year celebrations were launched on Monday on a massive scale at Srisailam, one of the eighteen Shakti Peethams in the country. The new year 'Sri Nandana', which starts with Ugadi, would be celebrated at Srisailam till April 24 by conducting special worship to the presiding deities of Sri Mallikarjuna and Sri Bhramarambika. Sizable number of devotees from Karnataka arrived here on Monday and presented saree, turmeric and kumkum to Bhramarambika treating her as elder sister. Special prayers were launched at 9 15 a.m. with Chandiswara Puja, Kankana puja and Kankana Dharana, by 10 a.m. Akhanda Sthapana, VAstu Puja, Vastu Homam, Navagraha Mandaparadhana, Panchavaranarchana, Rudra Kalasa Sthapana and other special worshiping. From tomorrow onwards, special pujas would be conducted from 7.30 a.m. till late in the night. From Monday onwards, Bhramarambika would be decorated as Mahalakshmi for five days and Sri Mallikarjuna Swamy would be taken out in a procession atop Bhrungi Vahanam. On April 9th, Bhramarambika would be decorated as Maha Durga and Swamy would be taken out in a procession atop Kailasa Vahanam. On April 10th, Bhramarambika would be decorated as Maha Saraswati and swamy would be taken out in a procession atop Nandi Vahanam. April 11th, Bhramarambika would be decorated as Rajarajeswari and Swamy would be taken out in a procession atop Ratham. On April 12th, Bhramarambika would appear in her real avatar and Swamy would be taken out atop Aswa Vahanam. Temple executive officer Chandrasekhar Azad along with wife and other temple officials conducted special worshiping on Monday. Thousands of Kannada devotees visited the temple on Monday.