VIJAYAWADA: Scores of devotees made a beeline on the Canal Road in the city, here on Thursday to witness the annual rathotsavam, celestial chariot procession, of Sri Malleswara Swamy and his consort Goddess Kanaka Durga. The management committee of Sri Kanyaka Parameswari Anna Satram, One Town, had organised the rathotsavam as part of the Mahashivaratri celebrations.
Besides the ratham decorated with flowers and festoons, a couple of well-decorated tractors too were used to take out the processional deities of Bhramaramba Malleswara Swamy, Bhadrakali Veerabhadra Swamy and Ganga Parvathi Sametha Vasantha Malleswara Swamy. While cultural troupes performed the traditional kolatam, puli veshalu and lambada dances, music bands enthralled the huge crowd that turned up for the event.
The procession began from the Ratham centre at 5 pm. Satram committee president B Hareswara Rao launched it by breaking a coconut. The procession moved at a snail’s pace with devotees, mostly women, waiting on the roadside with their offerings such as rice and fruits, competing with each other to get a close glimpse of the processional deities. Priests, on the occasion, performed various rituals for the processional deities amidst chanting of vedic hymns.
Tight security arrangements made by the Police and the organizing committee, were in place to ensure smooth conduct of the festival. Devotees had hassle-free darshan of the processional deities and got prasadam as they participated in the annual chariot procession, which continued for about two hours in a peaceful manner.