VISAKHAPATNAM: Festive atmosphere prevailed at Sri Sarada Petham at China Mushidiwada in the city as a large number of people, including VVIPs, made a beeline to the peetham on the birthday of Swamy Sri Swaroopanandendra Saraswati on Thursday. Governor Biswabhushan Harichandan, who arrived here on a one-day visit, went to Sarada Peetham where he had spent nearly half-an-hour with the seer. The governor was received with full traditional honours on his arrival at the peetham. After meeting the seer, he worshipped Sri Rajajeswari deity on the premises of the peetham on the occasion.
Later, he distributed sarees to poor women as part of the swamy’s birthday celebrations. The Governor was accompanied by Pendurthy MLA Adeep Raj, District Collector V Vinay Chand, Commissioner of Police RK Meena and other officials.
Elaborate arrangements have been made at peetham as part of the birthday celebrations. Every year the birthday of the seer is celebrated on Nagula Chaviti. Peetham Uttaradhikari Swamy Swatmanandendra Saraswati said as Swami Swaroopanandendra Saraswati was striving for protection of the rich traditional culture of India and the day is celebrated as ‘Bharatiya Punarvaibhava Parvadinam’.
He said followers and devotees of the swamy celebrated the day by organising various service activities such as distribution of clothes, organising medical camps and annadanam at various cities, including Visakhapatnam, Hyderabad and Delhi.
Among those who visited the swami at peetham include Chief Secretary LV Subrahmanyam, Speaker Tammineni Seetaram, Deputy Speaker Kona Raghupati YSRC general secretary and MP Vijayasai Reddy, Tourism Minister M Srinivasa Rao, Endowments Minister V Srinivas, MLAs BK Reddy, Malladi Vishnu, PVGR Naidu, Tanikella Bharani and TTD EO AK Singhal. A visitor to the peetham said it was for the first time that such a large number of people, including VVIPs, visited the peetham on the occasion of Swaroopanandendra Sarasawati’s birthday.