The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh News : Celestial wedding with a difference

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Tuesday, Apr 15, 2008
ePaper | Mobile/PDA Version

Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh

Celestial wedding with a difference

Staff Reporter

Tradition of marrying Lord Shiva at Sri Raja Rajeshwara Swamy Devasthanams

In faith: Devotees at the Sri Rama Navami celebrations in the Vemulawada temple on Monday.

VEMULAWADA (KARIMNAGAR DT): The celestial wedding was celebrated with a difference at the ancient and historic Harihara kshtra Sri Raja Rajeshwara Swamy Devasthanams in Vemulawada temple town on Monday.

Even as the temple priests had performed the wedding of Lord Sri Rama and Sita at the temple, several thousands, including men and women, as ‘Shiva Parvathulu’ (brides of Lord Shiva) married Lord Shiva on the occasion. The tradition of marrying Lord Shiva is practiced only at Sri Raja Rajeshwara Swamy Devasthanams in the State during the Sri Rama Navami celebrations every year. The devotees arrive a day in advance for the Sri Rama Navami festival and offer prayers to lord Shiva at the temple.

On Sri Rama Navami day, devotees decorate themselves as brides with turmeric, kumkum, wear new dress and carry trishul along with a bell. They place ‘jeera and jaggery’ paste on their head and marry Lord Shiva by tying flowers to the trishul and wearing a yellow thread around their neck.

Later, they carry a bag containing turmeric rice (talambralu) and proceed to the temple to watch the celestial wedding of Lord Sri Rama and Sita. As soon as the marriage of Lord Rama is completed, the devotees sprinkle talambralu on the gods and completes their marriage ceremony with the Lord Shiva. Majority of the devotees return home after the marriage ceremony. Some of the devotees proceed to Baddi Pochamma temple at the same temple town and offer ‘bonalu’ as a ritual and return home the next day. It is believed that the marriage with Lord Shiva would solve them their problems and bless them with prosperity. Vajramma of Boinpalli mandal says she was marrying Lord Shiva since last nine years during the celebrations.

“When I was suffering from a disease and not getting cured, I prayed the Vemulawada Rajanna (Shiva) that I would marry him if the disease was cured”.

Accordingly, her disease was cured and she was marrying the lord since then.

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Andhra Pradesh