KHAMMAM: Bhadrachalam witnessed a spectacular celebration of Lord Sri Ram’s Pattabhishekam (coronation) ceremony at the Mithila Stadium on Monday, held as part of the Sri Rama Navami festivities.
Governor Jishnu Dev Varma participated in the grand event and offered silk garments to Lord Ram. The atmosphere was charged with devotion as chants of “Jai Shri Ram” echoed across the venue, and the chanting of Vedic mantras by the priests filled the air with spiritual fervour. Bhadragiri, often referred to as the ‘Southern Ayodhya,’ came alive with devotional energy.
The celebrations commenced with a ritual abhishekam (holy bath) to the deity’s sandals at the sacred ‘mandapam’ of the Ramalayam temple. Holy water from the Gautami River was brought ceremoniously for the ritual. A colourful procession, accompanied by traditional music, instruments, and dancing devotees, brought the divine couple, Lord Ram and Sita, to the Mithila Stadium.
At the exquisitely decorated Kalyana Mandapam, the coronation began with the priests performing ‘Vishwaksena Puja’ and the ‘Punyahavachana’ (sacred invocation). Lord Ram was adorned with traditional royal symbols, including sandals, a golden crown, a royal sceptre, seal, sword, and other ornaments.
The Pattabhishekam rituals included recitations from the Rigveda, Yajurveda, Samaveda, as well as verses from the Vishnu Purana and Bhagavata Shastra. The holy ‘Teerthaprokshan’ (sprinkling of sacred water) was performed using water from the Pushkar River. Following the ceremony, priests conducted ‘aarti’ and sprinkled holy water on the assembled devotees, while the chanting of Ram’s name continued to resonate.
Prior to attending the coronation, Governor Jishnu Dev Varma offered special prayers at the Ramalayam temple. Several dignitaries were present at the event, including ministers Tummala Nageswara Rao and Konda Surekha, chief secretary Santhi Kumari, Endowment principal secretary Sailaja Ramayyar, commissioner Sridhar, MLAs Tellam Venkatrao, K Kanakayya, district Collector Jitesh V Patil, Superintendent of Police Rohit Raju, Bhadrachalam ITDA PO B Rahul, and Ramalayam EO Ramadevi.
The police made extensive security arrangements in view of the Governor’s visit. Thousands of devotees from across the country thronged to Bhadrachalam to witness and participate in the grandeur of the Sri Ram Navami celebrations, including the celestial wedding (Sita Ram Kalyanam) and the divine coronation.