Majestic Ride by Goddess Padmavathi Ammavaru Atop Gaja Vahanam

Tirupati: Goddess Padmavathi Devi Ammavaru took a majestic ride on a golden Gaja Vahanam along the four mada streets, encircling the Tiruchanoor temple, on the fifth day of the ongoing annual Karthika Brahmotsavams here on Tuesday.

The procession was a massive crowd-puller as devotees of Lord Venkateswara from across the globe consider the event at par with the Garuda Seva in Tirumala.

The fifth day’s Brahmotsavam began with the procession of Pallaki Utsavam in the morning, when Goddess Padmavathi graced the devotees queued up along the four mada streets by riding on a decked-up palanquin.

Later in the day, the Lakshmi Kasula Haram of Lord Venkateswara Swamy was brought to Tiruchanoor. This priceless ornament of Lord Venkateswara in Tirumala temple, adorns his consort goddess Padmavathi during the auspicious Gaja Vahanam and the Garuda Vahanam during the annual Brahmotsavams every year.

The Haram was first paraded on the four mada streets encircling the hill temple of Tirumala, before its transportation to the Tiruchanoor temple. TTD chairman Bhumana Karunakar Reddy and TTD executive officer Dharma Reddy paraded the Kasula Haram along the mada streets in Tirumala by carrying it on their heads.

Later, the precious jewel was brought in a special vehicle to Tiruchanoor’s Pasupu Mandapam, where Tirumala temple deputy executive officer Lokanatham ceremonially handed it over to the Tiruchanoor temple deputy executive officer Govinda Rajan.

After special pujas, the ornament adorned the presiding deity inside the sanctum, and later the processional deity during the Gaja Vahana Seva. Thousands of devotees, who queued up on either side of the four mada streets, were mesmerized by the majesty of the goddess, who stepped out of the Vahana Mandapam on her celestial carrier - the golden Gaja Vahanam.

The procession lasted over three hours. Devotees believe that worshiping Goddess Padmavathi during the Gaja Vahanam yatra clears all the obstacles in one’s path and ushers in prosperity and wealth.

Meanwhile, government whip and Chandragiri MLA Chevireddy Bhaskar Reddy presented silk clothes to Goddess Padmavathi as part of the Gaja Vahana Seva. He came by Padayatra from Thummalagunta to Tiruchanoor to present the customary silk clothes on behalf of the Thummalagunta Sri Kalyana Venkateswara temple.