Devotees not permitted into Vemulawada temple to watch celestial wedding

Except for priests who took part in the wedding ceremony and a few temple staff, nobody was allowed inside the temple.

RAJANA-SIRCILLA: Devotees were not allowed to participate in the celestial wedding of lord Shiva in Rajarajeshwara Swamy temple, Vemulawada, on Wednesday.

Besides the wedding ceremony, devotees were not allowed to perform all other rituals including the famous rathotsavam held as part of the five-day wedding ceremony of the presiding deity.

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The State government, in the wake of the spurt in Covid-19 cases in the second wave, had decided to strictly implement covid norms. Based on instructions from the Endowments department, temple officials did not allow devotees inside the shrine to watch the celestial wedding of the God.

Except for priests who took part in the wedding ceremony and a few temple staff, nobody was allowed inside the temple.

 

 

Notwithstanding the spurt in Covid-19 cases, about 50,000 devotees especially Joginies, Shiva Parvathulu, Hizras and others from different parts of the State as well as neighbouring States such as Maharashtra, Chhattisgarh, Karnataka, and Andhra Pradesh thronged the temple town to watch the wedding ceremony of the presiding deity.

With all entry points closed with barricades, devotees gathered outside the shrine in huge numbers, and were disappointed at not being allowed inside.

Meanwhile, as part of the marriage ceremony, devotees dressed up as brides of Shiva wearing new clothes, applying turmeric and vermilion on their foreheads.

 

Besides ‘jhola’ (sling bag) containing rice mixed with turmeric (talambralu), they also carried trident (trishul), which were also decorated with bright flowers and bells.

They declare their marriage with Shiva by applying ‘Jilakara bellam’ (jaggery and jeera paste) on their heads before tying yellow thread carrying ‘rudraksha’ around their necks.

They rang the bells on their tridents when the wedding of lord Shiva was performed inside the temple. Later, they sprinkled talambralu and declare the marriage ritual with Lord Shiva completed and applied kumkum on other devotees.