Sri Rama Navami festival is two days from today, on Wednesday, 24th March. It is celebrated on Chaitra Shukla Navami that is on the ninth day from the commencement of Chaitra Maasam. It is a festival to celebrate the birthday and also the marriage anniversary of Sri Rama. Sri Rama is the seventh avatar of Lord Vishnu. And Sri Rama is a perfect and most righteous man, an obedient son, an affectionate brother, a warrior, a loving husband, a great king and a favorite God of everyone, for centuries. The festival is celebrated by all Hindus at home and in all the Vaishnava Temples of the country in a grand manner by performing the marriage of Sri Rama and Sita Devi. The marriage is performed using the idols called Utsava Vigrahalu of Sri Rama and Sita Devi. In the twin cities of Hyderabad and Secunderabad alone “Sri Sita Rama Kalyanotsavam” is celebrated in hundreds of Temples. At home prayers and Naivedyam of Panakam, Vada Pappu and Mamidikaya Pulihora are offered to Sri Rama, Sita Devi and Anjaneyaswamy. And the delicious Naivedyam is received as Prasadam.
It is celebrated on a very grand scale at Sri Sita Ramachandra Swamy Vaari Devasthanam Bhadrachalam. Sri Rama Navami Brahmotsavam - nine days of celebrations have started at Bhadrachalam on 16th March, on Ugadi festival day. Tomorrow, on 23rd March evening there would be Edurkolu Utsavam. On 24th March from 10:30 AM to 12:30 PM Sri Sita Rama Kalyanotsavam - the Celestial Wedding is performed meticulously and with great devotion. The Kalyanotsavam is performed at the beautifully sculpted Kalyana Mandapam located at the Mithila stadium which is adjacent to the Main Temple. Lakhs of devotees attend this ceremony from different parts of the State and Country. From the days of Baktha Ramadasu who developed the Temple at Bhadrachalam over 350 years ago the Kings and now the Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh along with his wife would carry silk clothes and pearls in a traditional manner for Sri Rama and Sita Devi. The pearls are used in Thalambralu. And on 25th March Sri Rama’s Pattabhishekam – that is Coronation ceremony is performed. Elaborate arrangements are made for the convenience of pilgrims visiting Bhadrachalam during Sri Rama Navami. The entire Kalyanotsavam and other ceremonies are telecast live by a number of TV Channels and people all over the State love to watch the Kalyanotsavam and hear to the very informative and exciting running commentary of the proceedings.
To know more about the Temple Town – Bhadrachalam and my long relation with this place you may read my article “Anxious to visit Bhadrachalam” of 22nd April 2009 in this Blog, by following the link: http://srisrilara.blogspot.com/2009/04/anxious-to-vist-bhadrachalam.html
The above photographs are of us, at and around Sri Sita Ramachandra Swamy Devasthanam, Bhadrachalam.
P.S. You may click on the following link to reach several of my photo-articles / blog posts on Kothagudem, Singareni Collieries, Bhadrachalam, Godavari River, Parnashala, Kinnerasani and Papikondalu:
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