“PUSHPAYAGAM” PROVIDES COLOURFUL FEAST FOR THE EYES OF DEVOUT INFLUX
NINE-DAY SVV CONCLUDES ON A GRAND NOTE IN VIKRAMA SIMHAPURI
NELLORE, AUGUST 16: The nine-day celestial fete of the seventh phase of Sri VENKATESWARA Vaibhavotsavams came to a ceremonious conclusion with the floral festival-Pushpayagam which provided a colourful feast for the eyes of tens of thousands of devotees who converged in the spacious ACSR auditorium here on Sunday.
RELIGIOUS IMPORTANCE: This religious fete in Tirumala and other TTD Sri Vaishnavaite sub-shrines is usually performed after annual Brahmotsavam on the asterism of Sravanam which also happens to be the birth star of Lord Venkateswara, usually in the month of Krittika as per Hindu calendar which falls during October or November.
There is also an age old belief that after performing a mega religious event, to overcome the commissions and omissions committed either knowingly or unknowingly by archakas, temple staff and devotees, this yagam is performed.
As per the ancient scriptures, this festival is usually performed to save Mother Earth from natural calamities such as quakes, cyclones, epidemics and appease the Lord to save the life of humanity, flora and fauna from all the catastrophes.
This festival which was in vogue in 15th Century, was reinstated by TTD on November 14 in the year 1980.
FLORAL BATH WITH FIVE TONNES OF FLOWERS:
Several tonnes of varieties of flowers were brought to the stadium in a celestial procession earlier during the day on Sunday morning.
Later the Utsava Murthies of Lord Sri Malayappa Swamy, flanked by His two Consorts, Sri Devi and Bhu Devi were seated on a finely decorated Mandapam and later they were given a celestial floral bath with over five tonnes of 12 varieties of traditional flowers including Chamanti, lily, rose, Nandivardhanam, Tulasi, Maruvam and Davanam.
As soon as every floral variety reached the height of the chest of the idols, they were removed and a floral bath was again given to the deities with next variety and the same was repeated for 21 times amidst chanting of hymns till multi layered floral beds were formed.
The devotees were mused and delighted to see this unique religious fete with enthusiasm. On the other hand over one Lakh people is leant to have witnessed this floral festival while the total number of devotees who thronged ACSR stadium during this nine day fete has crossed a million mark.
Union Ministers Sri M Venkaiah Naidu, Smt Smriti Irani, AP Ministers Sri Kamineni Srinivas, Sri Narayana, TTD Board Chief Dr Ch Krishnamurthy, Board Member Sri Bhanuprakash Reddy, Tirupati JEO Sri P Bhaskar, Donor Sri Prabhakar Reddy and other officials were also present.
ISSUED BY TTD PUBLIC RELATIONS OFFICER, TIRUPATI