Andhra Pradesh - Tirupati   

`Tirumala metlotsavam' begins

Staff Reporter

Dasa devotees take out procession as a prelude to the annual fete

SWAYING TO THE BEAT: `Dasa' devotees taking out a procession in Tirupati on Sunday as part of the `Metlotsavam'.

TIRUPATI: The three-day `Metlotsavam', the festival of steps leading to Tirumala, began here on Sunday on a spiritual note.

A colourful procession by Dasa devotees through the arterial roads of the temple town was a prelude to the annual festival, which is being conducted under the auspices of Dasa Sahitya Project, one of the TTD's several propagation arms.

The procession started at Govindaraja Swamy temple and culminated at the Thyagaraja mandapam, where `Haridasa Sandhya Sankeerthanarchana', a cultural programme meant to propitiate the Lord by singing bhajans composed in His praise, was conducted.

Spiritual lectures and divine sermons were given by Sri Vignananidhi Theertha, the pontiff of Sripadaraja Mutt, Mulabagal (Karnataka), who led the procession.

Traditional attire

Clad in a white dhoti and a saffron headgear, the traditional attire of a Dasa devotee, hundreds of devotees and members of bhajan troupes hailing from Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu took part in the procession and sang bhajans.

Women participants were dressed in bright yellow sarees, who enthusiastically took part in group rendition of devotional numbers in Kannada, most of them compositions of saint-poet Purandaradasa.

The devotees will start trekking the holy steps by dawn on Monday and reach Tirumala by evening, when they offer prayers at the temple. Pontiff of Raghavendraswamy Mutt, Mantralayam, will also take part in the holy trek.

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