Sri Rajarajeswari temple to introduce Annadanam

Nellore: Administration of the most popular shrine in Nellore Sri Rajarajeswari temple is gearing up to introduce Annadanam for the benefit of 2,000 odd women performing Rahukala Puja on every Friday.

The patronage for the proposal was such that the devotees contributed more than Rs 10 lakhs when the management announced their plan to launch the scheme during the ongoing Navarathri Brahmotsavams.

The holy shrine consecrated by Kanchi Paramacharya Sri Chandrasekhara Saraswathi Maha Swamy around 44 years ago shot to fame after the priests introduced Rahukala Puja between 10.30 a.m. to 12 noon every Friday.

Women, especially unmarried, started making a bee line to the temple for the Rahukala Puja and circumambulation (Pradakshina) for 108 times around the temple every day, especially during Navaratri festival. It culminated in wedlock for scores of unmarried women. However, Kumbhabishekam was not conducted on the shrine so far, although it is mandatory to perform the major ritual once in 12 years.

Executive Officer of the Temple Vendidandi Srinivasa Reddy said that they are planning to conduct the ritual next year and is waiting for the dates of the Seer of Kanchi Peetam to perform the ritual.

He said that more than two lakh odd devotees thronged the shrine during last one week to offer prayers to the Goddess. Among them, 40,000 odd devotees circumambulated around the temple and the Pradakshinas continued round-the-clock during the festival, he noted.

Srinivasa Reddy thanked Mayor of Nellore Corporation S.K. Abdul Aziz for arranging flower decoration, electrical lights decoration, Pandals, drinking water and sanitation besides mobile toilets on behalf of the Civic body.

According to the EO, opportunity was given to artistes to present 40 odd cultural programmes during the Navaratri festival.