On Tuesday there was a sea of humanity for the Rathotsavam at the Bhramaramba Mallikarjuna Swamy Temple in Srisailam as part of the Plava nama Ugadi (Telugu New Year’s Day) celebrations, despite fears of the second wave of COVID-19 in the state.
The celebrations began with Panchanga Shravanam from the temple pandit Butte Veerabhadra Daivagnya in the Akkammadevi Mandapam. He predicted abundant rainfall for the current year and that the low pressure system would help bring the state’s water reservoir to a comfortable level. More yagnas and homams would be carried out across the country and agricultural crops would be good yield on red and sandy soils, he said.
The temple executive officer later honored the Veda pandits and attended the Rathotsavam that evening by pulling the chariot in the Mada streets.
The streets were full of devotees vying to pull the chariot, or at least touch the rope. The police had a hard time keeping people away from the path of the car carrying the processional deities of the goddess Bhramaramba and Lord Mallikarjuna Swamy. The four-day celebrations end on Wednesday.