TIRUPATI: The annual ‘Pushpayagam’ performed at Sri Kodanda Rama Swamy Temple in Tirupati Saturday evening not only enthralled the devotees, but also the mother nature, as the day witnessed a pleasant weather with drizzles giving a soothing relief to the citizens from scorching heat.
‘Pushpayagam’ is the annual fete observed after ‘Brahmotsavams’ of temple, especially in Vaishnavaite temples, under the aegis of the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams as a purification ceremony to get rid of the sins committed, either knowingly or unknowingly, by the archakas, temple staff and even pilgrims.
The other spiritual belief related to this festival is that the fete is conducted to propitiate Lord to save mother earth from natural calamities and disasters.
The celestial fete commenced at 2 pm on Saturday in the ancient temple on the day of ‘Punarvasu’ star, which also happens to be the birth star of Lord Sri Rama, with the priests offering bath with tonnes of varieties of flowers to the processional deities of Lord Sri Kodanda Rama, Goddess Sita Devi and Lakshmana, seated on a colourfully decked platform.
The event lasted for about three hours, even as the archakas chanted Vishnu-Gayatri mantra to appease the Lord of Flowers-Pulludu, who is Pushpadhipathi of this ceremony.
The devotees were spellbound by the divine charm of the deities during the fete, which concluded at 5 pm.
Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams executive officer D Samba Siva Rao, Tirupati JEO P Bhaskar and temple deputy EO Bhupathi Reddy were also present.