VIJAYAWADA: The three-day ‘Varuna Yagam’ to propitiate the rain god concluded here on a grand note at Kanaka Durga temple, atop Indrakeeladri, amidst chanting of Vedas by priests on Sunday. As part of the rituals, priests brought water from River Krishna to perform Sahasra Ghata Kalasabhishekam on the third day to the presiding deity at Mallikarjuna Swami temple.
Temple Assistant Executive Officer (AEO) and Public Relations Officer S Achyuta Ramaiah participated in the rituals and conducted the Purnahuti. Speaking on the occasion, he said that the ‘Varuna Japam’ and abhishekam were performed due to the delay in arrival of monsoon and heat wave conditions which are causing worry to farmers and people from all walks of life.
Speaking to Express, Temple head priest Vishnubhotla Siva Prasad Sarma said that 12 Vedic scholars and 10 archakas (priests) performed ‘Varuna Japam’ at Sivalayam located atop of Indrakeeladri. Group of ritviks performed nearly 1 lakh recitations of ‘Varuna Mantra’. In all 3 lakh japam was done in three days.
“We prayed that the dry spell ended and rains bring happiness and prosperity to the people. The japam, parayana and abhishekam would propitiate the rain god and the State would be blessed with copious rains,” Siva Prasad Sarma said.