Andhra Pradesh - Tirupati   

Govindarajaswamy Brahmotsavam begins

Staff Reporter

A colourful `Unjal seva' marks the event

AUSPICIOUS OCCASION: Chief priest hoisting the `Dhwaja Patam' to mark the beginning of the annual Brahmotsavam at Sri Govindarajaswamy temple in Tirupati on Wednesday.— Photo: K.V. Poornachandra Kumar

TIRUPATI: The annual Brahmotsavams at the TTD-run Sri Govindarajaswamy temple began with a colourful `Dhwajarohanam' on Wednesday.

Amid chanting of hymns from scriptures and to the beat of traditional drums, the chief priest hoisted the `Dhwaja Patam' (sacred flag) on the temple flag post at 9.10 a.m. in the auspicious `Mithuna lagnam', signalling the commencement of the nine-day Brahmotsavam. This hoisting of the flag is also reckoned as an invitation to the celestial beings and demi-Gods to witness the glorious festival.

As Govindaraja is believed to be the elder brother of Tirumala Venkateswara and as this fete runs parallel to that of the famous Varadaraja temple in Kanchipuram, a lot of significance is attached to it in Vaishnavite circles. Historical evidences point to the consecration of the deities here by Bhagawad Ramanuja, the chief proponent of Vaishnavism.

Inscriptions

According to inscriptions available in Sri Venkatachala Itihasamala, Ramanuja had brought the idols all the way from Chidambaram (Tamil Nadu) in order to escape the wrath of a hardline Saivite king Krimikanta of Chola dynasty, who had taken up a mission of destroying Vishnu temples. This also marked the first settlement in Tirupati, which was known as `Govindaraja Patnam' or `Ramanujapuram', as christened by the then ruler Yadava Bhupala Raju. A colourful `Unjal seva' was performed in the evening and the processional deities were taken around the temple on `Pedda Sesha Vahanam' later. Executive Officer K.V. Ramanachary, Joint EO N. Srikant and Deputy EO A.Vasudevan were among the senior officials present at the flag-hoisting ceremony.

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