People gather at giant wheels during Kotamisamma Jatara at Usirikalapalli in Khammam district on Tuesday.

Khammam, October 16, 2013: Usirikayalapalli, a tiny village in Karepalli mandal, came alive on Tuesday with thousands of devotees thronging the ongoing Kota Mysamma jatara on the second day of the famous religious fair. The five-day ‘jatara’ began on a religious note on the occasion of Dasara festival on Monday.

Notwithstanding a ban on animal sacrifice, hundreds of animals were sacrificed in and around the venue of the ‘jatara’ during the first two days of the fair. Liquor was openly sold and consumed in the vicinity of the ‘jatara’.

Devotees in large numbers from the coal belt areas spread in Khammam, Warangal and Karimnagar districts took part in the fair. The devotees were put to hardship due to lack of basic amenities like drinking water on the inaugural day.

Minister for Horticulture R Venkat Reddy, Wyra MLA Chandravathi and others participated in the ‘jatara’ on Monday.

‘Teppotsavam’

Meanwhile, ‘Teppotsavam’ was organised with religious fervour at Yellendulapadu cheruvu in the coal town of Yellendu as part of Vijayadasami celebrations on Monday. Thousands of devotees watched the event organised under the aegis of the Peddamma Thalli temple committee.

‘Ravana vadha’, a programme featuring burning of an effigy of ‘demon king Ravana’, was organised in the famous temple town of Bhadrachalam on the occasion of Dasara festival. A host of special pujas and rituals, including ‘Shami puja’ were performed at Sri Lakshmi Tayaru temple marking the end of the nine-day Sarannavaratri festivities in Bhadrachalam on Monday.

Source: The Hindu, October 16, 2013