VIJAYAWADA: Minister Devineni Umamaheswara Rao hailed Lord Rama for sticking to Dharma despite facing several troubles treading the path. He participated in Lord Sitarama Swami Kalyana Mahotsavam held at temples in Mylavaram, Ibrahimpat-nam and Gollapudi on the occasion of Srirama Navami on Monday. Lord Rama was born in the same Vilambi year, which is the current Telugu year.
According to the Vaishnava tradition, a few temples organised Lord Sitaramachandra Swami Kalyana Mahotsavam(Wedding) on Monday in a grand manner. It was a visual feast with the temples being decked up for the occasion. The Kalyana Mahotsavam was performed at all Rama and Hanuman temples in the city. Some Saibaba temple committees also celebrated Srirama Navami. The priests organised Kalyana Mahotsavam of Lord Sitarama Swami at the auspicious Abhijit lagnam in Punarvasu Nakshatram.
The priests, who performed Kalyanam, to the processional deities, explained the procedure of wedding of groom Lord Srirama, the son of Ayodhyapuraadheesa, Dasaratha Maharaj and the bride, Sitadevi, daughter of Mithilanagaraadhesa, Janaka Maharaj. They highlighted how a person should respect dharma and practise it in his life. The divine wedding was organised in temples and on specially platforms at the busy Besant Road and other areas. In Besant Road, the Sri Sitarama Kalyana Mahotsava Abhivruddhi Committee organised Swami Kalyanam in the presence of hundreds of devotees.
The committee has been organising the Kalyanam every year since 1955. Around 5,000 devotees witnessed the wedding. The processional deities were brought to the altar by a procession of devotees, amidst the holy music of sannai and dolu. Vijayawada Central, MLA Bonda UmamaheswaraRao and his wife participated in the Kalyanam at one of the temples. At the famous Ram Mandir in Eluru Road, the temple committee celebrated Navami and nearly 2,000 people witnessed the divine wedding. Ilapuram Raja and his family participated in the Kalyana Mahotsavam of Lord Sitaramachandra Swami.
At Patamata Rama mandir, people from surrounding places participated in Swami Kalyanam organised by the temple committee. Sri Sivarama Bhaktha Mandali of Sri Kodanda Ramalayam at Bhavanipuram, HB Colony, also celebrated the Kalyanam. At all the temples, annadanam was organised after performing the divine wedding. Devotees were served meals after witnessing the celestial wedding. They were also given panakam, made from jaggery and pepper. Vadapappu, soaked green gram, was also served as prasadam.
