Nellore: People living in Gandavaram of Kodavalur mandal in SPSR Nellore district are worried over frequent deaths in the village during the last two months. The village, located 20 km away from Nellore, with a population of 5,000 people is popular in the region because of Udayakaleswara Swamy shrine built in 1182 AD by Sri Tunga Chola Deva Maharaja, a king of Chola dynasty.
According to the residents of the village, more than 20 persons including two women breathed their last due to different reasons during last two months. Although a majority of them were aged and ailing from viral fevers, residents are not convinced with the phenomena stressing that the frequent occurrence is unusual in the habitation.
Suspecting that their negligence towards offering chaddi (food prepared with ragi) to the village goddesses located in four corners of the village as per tradition as one of the reasons for the death toll, they performed special rituals under the supervision of Sarvabhatla Hari Prasad, chief priest of Sri Udayakaleswara Swamy temple.
He added that he had also performed "ashta digbandana" in the borders of the village last week and sought the blessing of Lord Shiva to contain the situation. A resident V. Sridhar said that deaths started after the demolition of an arch, containing the idol of Udayakaleswara Swamy temple at the entry point of the village road from the National Highway, as part of widening the four-lane highway. He said that the highway contractor started constructing a new arch as per their request now.
A member of Gandavaram panchayat Sk. Sadiq said that 10 persons succumbed to viral fevers such as dengue and others due to different reasons including road accidents, cardiac arrest and age related ailments. TD leader and a native of the village Vemireddy Pattabhirami Reddy said that there was some fear among villagers but the situation is under control after they restored the practice of worshipping the village goddesses on a regular basis.
