GRANDEUR MARKS “RATHOTSAVAM”

Tirupati, 25 March 2015: ‘Rathotsavam’, the chariot festival, was performed on the penultimate of the nine-day annual Brahmotsavams at the TTD’s Sri Kodanda Rama Swamy Temple here on Wednesday, which turned out to be a big draw.

Thousands of devotees converged at the point and dragged the huge flower-bedecked wooden chariot along the four ‘Mada’ streets encircling the temple. The tastefully-decorated deities of Sri Kodandarama and His consort Seetha and Lakshmana were seated on a high pedestal throne on the chariot in the early hours of the day, while it was drawn at the chosen auspicious hours after sunrise. The engineering staff deftly applied the hydraulic brakes of the car, wherever it exceeded the preset speed or when there was an emergency. As is the practice, the electric wires hovering above the ‘Mada’ streets were promptly removed and power shut down much ahead to facilitate the free movement of the chariot.

JEO Sri Pola Bhaskar, DyEO Sri Bhupathi Reddy, ACVSO Sri Sivakumar Reddy, SE Sri Ramesh Reddy, EE Sri Jagadeswara Reddy, VGO Sri Raveendra Reddy, Supdt Sri Krishna Varma, Temple Inspectors Sri Sesha Reddy, Sri Murali, Temple Archaka Sri Nandu Swamy, Archakas Sri Kiran Swamy, Tarun Swamy and were among the officials who led the procession.

ISSUED BY TTDs PUBLIC RELATIONS OFFICER, TIRUPATI