The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh / Vijayawada News : Vasantotsavam concludes on Indrakeeladri

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Thursday, Apr 14, 2011
ePaper | Mobile/PDA Version

Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh - Vijayawada

Vasantotsavam concludes on Indrakeeladri

Staff Reporter

A large number of devotees participate in purnahuti ritual

PHOTO: CH. VIJAYA BHASKAR

For well-being:Purnahuti being performed with traditional decoration and rituals at Sri Durga Malleswara Swamy Varla Devasthanam at the end of Chaitra Masa Vasantha Navarathra Utsavams in Vijayawada on Wednesday.

VIJAYAWADA: The nine-day Vasantotsavam concluded on a grand note at Sri Durga Malleswara Swami Varla Devasthanam here on Wednesday.

The priests offered purnahuti amidst vedic chants at around 10.30 a.m. at Kanaka Durga temple on Indrakeeladri. The devotees turned in large numbers to participate in the purnahuti ritual.

The Assistant Executive Officer (AEO) of the temple participated in the purnahuti and other rituals associated with the special pujas. The AEO Sai Prasad participated in the ritual, while Assistant Commissioner Sarada Kumari joined later. The temple authorities performed ‘laksha pushparchana' (puja with one lakh flowers) every day. The festival began on April 4 coinciding with Ugadi, Telugu new year. They arranged a new variety of flower every day to perform ‘laksha pushparchana'. The festival began with ‘malle' (jasmine) on first day, ‘pasupu Chemanthi' (yellow chrysanthemum) and roses were offered on second and third days.

On fourth day, the priests chose to use orange coloured ‘Kanakambaralu' (firecracker flower – Crossandra infundibuliformis). And, they turned to twigs of ‘Maruvam' (sweet marjoram) on fifth day.

The goddess was offered the ‘jilledu' (crown flowers) and bilva (bael leaves) on sixth day. On the following day, the deity was drenched with tulasi (holy basil – Ocimum tenuiflorum) and mandaram (China Rose – Hibiscus rosasinensis).

On the last but one day of ‘laksha pushparchana', white and yellow chrysanthemum were used, while ‘Tamara' (lotus) kaluva (water lily) and sampangi (Michelia champaca) were chosen on the final day of pushpayagam.

Guntur MP Rayapati Sambasiva Rao and others paid Rs.25,000 to take part in the pushpayagam on seventh and eighth days. Flower contractor donated Rs. 25,000 to decorate the Aaservada mandapam where the pushparchana was performed for nine days.

The Vasantotsavam is performed for nine days during first half of the year (Chaitra to Bhadrapada) and Dasara during second half (Aswiyuja to Phalguna).

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

Andhra Pradesh