Transgender and Jogini rituals mark Vemulawada Rama Navami celebrations

The celestial wedding of Lord Rama and Goddess Seeta was celebrated with grandeur in Vemulawada, Rajanna-Sircilla. Alongside the traditional kalyanam, Joginis, Shiva-Parvathulu and Hijras symbolically married Lord Shiva.

Rajanna-Sircilla: The celestial wedding of Lord Rama and Goddess Seeta was celebrated on a grand and distinctive scale in Vemulawada temple town on Friday.

Apart from the traditional Rama–Seeta kalyanam, a unique ritual marked the celebrations, with Joginis, Shiva-Parvathulu, transgender persons and Hijras symbolically marrying Lord Shiva, the presiding deity.

Considering themselves as brides of Lord Shiva, participants dressed in new saris and adorned themselves with jewellery, turmeric and vermilion.

They carried ‘jhola’ (sling bags) containing ‘thalambralu’ (turmeric-mixed rice) and decorated tridents fitted with bells and flowers. During the rituals, the rhythmic ringing of bells accompanied Vedic chants.

After the completion of the Rama–Seeta kalyanam, participants sprinkled thalambralu on each other and performed ‘Linga Dharana’ by applying ‘zilakara bellam’ and tying a yellow thread with rudraksha, symbolising a spiritual union with Lord Shiva.

Devotees from across Telangana and neighbouring States, including Maharashtra, Chhattisgarh, Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh, thronged the temple town to witness the celestial wedding.

With renovation works under way at the Sri Rajarajeshwara Swamy temple, the arrangements for the celestial wedding were shifted to the temple tank grounds. Temple authorities made elaborate arrangements, including installation of LED screens across the town, to facilitate viewing of the ceremony.