‘Hijras’ Participate in Celestial Wedding

Following a decades-old tradition/custom, hundreds of ‘Hijras’ (transgenders) participated in the Rama Navami celebrations, the highlight of which was the celestial wedding of Lord Rama with Goddess Sita, at the Sri Raja Rajeshwara Swamy temple in Vemulawada on Tuesday.

For these ‘Hijras’, hailing from AP and Maharashtra, Rama Navami is a sacred festival. Attired in colourful sarees and bedecked with jewellery, the ‘Hijras’ poured ‘talambralu’ on the idol of Lord Rama in the belief that that would signify their marriage with Him.

The ‘Hijras’ arrived in the temple town on Sunday and will be leaving for their hometowns on Wednesday after staging a massive procession in the temple town and offering ‘Bonalu’ to Goddess Badi Pochamma.

Meanwhile, thousands of devotees attended for celestial marriage of Lord Rama and Goddess Sita at the famous temple on Tuesday.

As thousands of devotees descended on the temple town since Monday, several of them could not get accommodation due to non-availability of rooms and stayed on the temple premises.Temple chairman B Venkateswar and executive Officer Ch V Krishnaji Rao participated.