Hyderabad: Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao and his family members were accorded a traditional welcome by priests when they arrived at the yagashala. They offered prayers to an idol of Goddess Chandi and took part in a Ganapathi puja to set the yagam in motion.
Governor E.S.L. Narasimhan, who arrived in a traditional silk lungi and shawl accompanied by his wife Vimala Narasimhan, joined the rituals as the yagashala reverberated with chanting of Chandi shlokas and Vedic hymns.
Long serpentine queues were seen throughout the day as people arrived from all parts of the state by every mode of transport, mostly cars and two-wheelers. While some left after having a glimpse of the goddess, hundreds of others sat in the allocated space where a huge video screen was installed for the visitors.
Little away from the yagashala, a kumkumarchana programme was conducted exclusively for women devotees where hundreds of women, including many in yellow saris, participated.
Ms Shobha, Ms Kavita, IT minister K.T. Rama Rao’s wife Shailima and other family members distributed saris to women and offered pasupu bottu as per tradition.
