The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh News : Thousands make beeline for Bhadradri

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Tuesday, Apr 15, 2008
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Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh

Thousands make beeline for Bhadradri

Staff reporter

Unprecedented rush at the temple to watch the Sita Rama kalyanam

— PHOTO: G.N. Rao

TRADITIONAL: Chief Minister Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy carrying ‘pattu vastrams’ to the Mithila stadium as Endowments Minister J. Ratnakar Rao accompanying him with ‘mutyala talambralu. They represented the State government at the celestial wedding in Bhadrachalam on Monday.

BHADRACHALAM: Thousands of devotees had the holy dip in the Godavari and made a beeline for the Bhadradri temple on the occasion braving many travails and harsh sun in the day. The darshan gave a great feeling of accomplishment, but it was not so hassle free as it was hither to. The rush is unprecedented and so was the case with the security arrangements.

Heavy crowd

Nearly half the crowd that turned up for the festival in the temple town failed to make it to the Mithila stadium - the venue of the celestial wedding.

The capacity of the venue was less than half a lakh. A major part of it was marked for exclusive enclosures for Press, state officials, judiciary, VVIPs and MPs, MLAs and MLCs.

Kalyanam ticket

Pilgrims who had come from far off places settled down in front of the digital screen put up outside the kalyanamantapam for watching the rituals. Over issue of ‘kalyanam’ ticket (costing Rs. 3016 each) created confusion inside the special enclosures. As they were packed to the full, some of the ticket holders were made to stand all through the session while a few were accommodated in the gangway.

A good number of devotees of Hanuman who came from different places had their quota of travails. A. Anjaneyulu from Adilabad said that he came here to watch the Sita Rama kalyanam by taking the Hanuman Deeksha. “But no priority was given here to staunch devotees like us on deeksha,” he said.

G. Veeranjaneyamma, a woman devotee from Krishna district came three days in advance and devoted the whole time for distribution of drinking water to the devotees at the temple.

She was all praise for the officials for the arrangements.

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