NAGARJUNASAGAR: The state government on Monday conducted the Maha Varuna Yagam on the banks of the Krishna river at ‘Vijay Viharam’ in Nagarjunasagar, seeking bountiful rains and a bumper harvest.
Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy and his wife participated in the Yagam, which was performed with devotion and strict adherence to scriptural norms amid the chanting of Vedic mantras by scholars.
Priests (Ruthviks) concluded the rituals by offering Purnahuti (final oblation) in the presence of the chief minister.
Earlier, under the guidance of priests and Vedic scholars from the Yadagirigutta Sri Lakshmi Narasimha Swamy
Temple, 108 Ruthviks conducted the ‘Homam’ rituals across 11 Homa Kundas (sacrificial fire pits) in accordance with Vedic tradition, seeking the blessings of Lord Varuna.
Irrigation and Civil Supplies Minister N Uttam Kumar Reddy and his wife also participated in the daylong Yagam.
According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD) forecast, rainfall in the state is likely to be below normal this year due to the El Nino effect.
Against this backdrop, the government performed the grand Varuna Yagam seeking rains.
While the government is already moving forward with scientific assessments and planning, it also respects the culture and traditions that reflect the interconnections between rain, agriculture, nature and human life, thereby seeking the benevolence of nature, officials said.
“May there be abundant rainfall across the state, and the Krishna and Godavari rivers brim with heavy inflows,” the chief minister said.
Revanth also said that he prayed that all projects, including Srisailam and Nagarjunasagar, are filled to the brim and that every tank and pond in the state overflows with water.
The chief minister said that he also sought the blessings of gods for the increase in groundwater levels and bountiful harvests. He hoped that smiles would light up the faces of farmers, the state would flourish with greenery and prosperity, and people would be blessed with good health and happiness.
Beginning with Gau Puja, the ritual proceeded with chanting of Vedic mantras, Yaga Pradakshina, Punyahavachanam, Ankurarpanam, Rishyasringa Puja and Chaturvidha Parayanam on the banks of Krishna.
Meanwhile, Uttam Kumar Reddy said that adequate rains in the upper catchment areas of Krishna basin in Karnataka and Maharashtra, as well as the Godavari basin, were essential to increase inflows and guarantee water security for Telangana’s agricultural needs. The minister emphasised that protecting monsoon crops and providing irrigation assurance to farmers are the highest priorities of the Congress government.