Sita-Rama marriage held in moonlit night at Vontimitta

Anantapur: The celestial marriage of Lord Kodanda Rama Swamy and Goddess Sita was held with religious fervour in the moonlight at Kalyana Vedika in Vontimitta of YSR district on Wednesday night.

TTD horticulture wing decorated the Kalyana Vedika by using four tonnes of traditional flowers, 30,000 cut flowers along with sugar cane, coconut, banana, mango, Australia orange, Washington Apple, grape and imported flowers like blue orchid, red anthurium.

The mandapam was made up of paddy-seeds. At least 60 experts of TTD horticulture wing took three days to decorate the venue for the celestial marriage.

The state government has been conducting the celestial marriage at Vontimitta after state bifurcation.

Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy’s visit to the mandapam was cancelled following doctors’ advice as he’s experiencing leg pain. In his absence, endowments minister K. Satyanarayana offered pattu vastralu on behalf of the state government to the Lord during kalyanotsavam on Wednesday night.

Ministers Peddireddy Ramachandra Reddy and R.K. Roja, TTD chairman Y.V. Subba Reddy, MLA Gadikota Srikanth Reddy and several others were present.

The priests performed the Kalyanam of Lord Kodanda Rama Swamy and Goddess Sita. Huge crowds of devotees thronged the venue to take part in the kalyanam.

RTC operated 100 special buses from various parts to Vontimitta and two free buses were arranged from parking places to reach the devotees to the Kalyana Vedika. TTD teams served Talambralu and prasadam to the devotees at the Vedika.

TTD JEO Veerabrahmam said a total of 2500 Srivari Sevakulu have been rendering their services especially at the Kalyana Vedika and other important places to the devotees. In view of the high temperatures, the sevaks were involved in the packing, lifting and distribution of Annaprasadam and the sacred prasadam bags that were supplied to the devotees.

Additional security forces were drawn from different parts of Kadapa district for traffic clearance and bandobast during the special occasion of Kalyanam.