Nalgonda: Cheruvugattu hill shrine in Narketpally mandal reverberated with chants of ‘Om Namah Shivaya’ as the celestial wedding of the presiding deity, Sri Parvati Jedala Ramalingeshwara Swamy, was performed in the early hours of Saturday as part of the annual jatara. The event attracted more than one lakh devotees.
Devotees from neighbouring districts and from Maharashtra, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu thronged the temple to witness the celestial wedding. As per the tradition, ‘they brought ‘thalambralu’ (rice smeared with turmeric) from their native places for the auspicious event.
On behalf of the State government, Nakrekal MLA Chirumarthi Lingaiah presented silk clothes (pattu vasthralu) and thalambralu for the celestial wedding, which was performed by temple priests at 5.30 am. Bhongir MP Komati Reddy Venkat Reddy, Zilla Parishad Chairman Banda Narender Reddy and several other leaders were also present.
Later, Energy Minister G Jagadish Reddy participated in a special pooja programme.
In view of Covid-19 norms, devotees were not allowed to take a holy dip in the temple pond “pushkarini”. Carrying the sacred wooden chappals, considered the chappals of the lord, on their heads, the devotees made ‘pradakshanams’ around the Dwajasthambam on the premises of the temple. It is believed that health and financial problems would be solved by doing so.
Saints who arrived from Srisailam were the centre of attraction at the jatara, which will conclude on February 23 with the procession “gramaotsavam”. The TSRTC is plying special buses to Cheruvugattu from Hyderabad, Nalgonda, Narketpally, Miryalaguda and Suryapet.
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