Tirupati, August 17, 2013: Tiruchanur, the abode of Goddess Padmavathi, teemed with heavy crowd on Friday, on the occasion of ‘Varalakshmi Vratham’. One of the important Hindu festivals and considered by women as auspicious and believed to bring in fortune and prosperity, the day was observed with great reverence.

The idol was adorned with a rare collection of dazzling ornaments, exotic flowers of resplendent hues and silk clothes, befitting the occasion. The venue was also tastefully decorated and the bejeweled deity was a visual feast to behold.

Priests recited ‘Varalakshmi Ashtotharam’ and performed the penance, praying for common good and global wellbeing. The eight different forms of Goddess Lakshmi viz., Sri (wealth), Bhu (earth), Saraswathi (learning), Preeti (love), Kirti (fame), Santhi (peace), Thushti (pleasure) and Pushti (strength) were chanted for two hours. Over 500 couples took part in the mass ‘Vratham’ organized by the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) at the Asthana Mandapam attached to the temple in Tiruchanur, who received ‘Pasupu Kumkuma’ and two ‘Kankanams’ at the end.

TTD Chairman K.Bapi Raju, Director-General of Police V.Dinesh Reddy, Superintendent of Police (Tirupati Urban) S.V. Rajasekhar Babu took part.

In the evening, the processional deity was taken in a procession on the golden chariot around the four ‘Mada’ streets encircling the temple. Deputy Executive Officer Bhaskar Reddy, Assistant EO Naga Ratna and Executive Engineer Jagadeeswara Reddy were among those who dragged the chariot.

In Tirupati, ‘Varalakshmi Vratham’ was mostly performed by women in their houses. The folk goddess Thathayagunta Gangamma temple was specially decorated for the grand occasion and the deity adorned with hundreds of bangles. Women poured into the temple right from the dawn to offer prayers. Similarly, devotees thronged Sri Kanyaka Parameswari (New Street) and Moolasthana Ellamma (Chandragiri) temples.

Serpentine queues

Karimnagar Staff Reporter adds: Women dressed in their colourful best have celebrated the auspicious Varalakshmi Vratham with religious fervour in Karimnagar on Friday.

Women formed serpentine queues at Sri Mahalaksmi temple at Chaitanyapuri, Sri Santhoshi Matha temple at Jyothinagar and other temples in the town. They participated in the ‘kumkum’ puja and shared vermillion and sweets with other women and sought their blessings.

Following the religious tradition women worshipped Goddess Lakshmi in their houses by colourfully decorating the deity at the puja mandaps. They also offered special nine dishes of sweets and savouries to the Goddess of wealth.

The devotees also thronged Sri Raja Rajeshwara Swamy Devasthanam in Vemulawada and also Sri Laksmi Narasimha Swamy devasthanam in Dharmapuri and offered prayers to the presiding deities.

Source: The Hindu, DT. August 17, 2013.