TIRUPAT: The preparation of sacred rice — Akshatalu for the Sravana Pournami Managudi programme mulled by Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams from August 9 to 15 in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana has commenced in SVETA building at Tirupati by TTD’s Tirupati JEO P. Basant Kumar.
Speaking on this occasion, the JEO said, the 19th phase of Managudi programme will be observed in around 11,500 temples across the two Telugu states for a week starting from August 9 with Varalakshmi Vratham.
During the remaining days there will be religious discourses by eminent local scholars in the respective temples on Ramayanam, Mahabharatam and Bhagavatam, while on the final day on August 15, the importance of Sravana Pournami will be narrated, he added.
Earlier, the preparation of holy rice — Akshatalu — commenced with Puja at SVETA building.
Scores of Srivari Seva Volunteers took part in the preparation of the sacred rice packets.
Along with them, kankanams, sugar candy will also be dispatched to all the temples which will be distributed among the local devotees.
HDPP secretary Dr Ramana Prasad, AEO Nageswara Rao and others also took part.
