G. Kishan Reddy Leads Ayyappa Maha Padi Puja at Narayanguda
Hyderabad: A large number of devotees took part in the Ayyappa Maha Padi Puja performed by state BJP president and Union minister G. Kishan Reddy and his wife Kavya at the Keshav Memorial College ground at Narayanguda on Sunday. They have been conducting the puja annually for 24 years.
Guruswamis performed the Padi Puja, with each of the 18 steps decorated with bright coloured cloth, flowers, coconuts, bananas and lamps. The priest recited special prayers for each step.
The devotees sang bhajans and Padi Pattu, which described the importance of 18 steps. The puja finally culminated with the lighting of all the lamps and burning the camphor. Later the abhishekam ritual of Lord Ayyappa was performed.
The Guruswamis explained the significance of 18 steps, that there are 18 chapters in the Bhagavad Gita, 18 Puranas, 18 battle techniques; and that the Kurukshethra battle lasted for 18 days.
The Ayyappa Temple at Sabarimala has 18 holy steps from the ground level to the sanctum sanctorum where the deity resides. The steps are considered holy because they are regarded as the extension of sanctum sanctorum.
A number of BJP leaders and others including D.K. Aruna, Etala Rajendar, Raghunandan Rao, Payal Shankar, Dhanpal Suryanarayana,Rakesh reddy took part in the puja.
