Hanuman Jayanthi celebrations to be muted at Kondagattu

Jagitial: In the wake of Covid outbreak and lockdown, Pedda Hanuman Jayanthi celebrations will be celebrated in a low-key affair within the Kondagattu temple. The three-day celebrations which start on Wednesday, will continue up to June 4.

All arrangements have been made for the annual affair wherein a few number of temple staff and priests will take part. Temple priests would perform all kinds of pujas, abhishekams and adorn the presiding deity in silk clothes during the three-day celebrations.

Devotees, who took up Hanuman deeksha, would not be allowed into temple. Moreover, there would not be Malavitharana (ending of Hanuman deeksha) ceremony on the occasion of Hanuman Jayanthi, the temple executive officer Chandrashekhar said in a statement.

On the other hand, police made tight security arrangements to celebrate the event in a peaceful manner and prevent the devotees at the foothills of the Kondagattu. Police warned of registering cases if anybody come up to the hillock to reach the shrine by violating lockdown norms.

It may be recalled here that all rituals in the temple have been suspended for 13 days in the month of April in the wake of Covid-19 outbreak during the second weave. Devotees were not allowed into the shrine from April 17 to 29.

Though the temple opened on April 30, only normal darshanam was allowed for devotees and all arjitha sevas were suspended.