Srikalahasti Temple Sets New Record for Rahu Ketu Pujas on Aadi Amavasya

Tirupati: The renowned Srikalahasti Temple in this district witnessed an unprecedented surge in devotees performing Rahu Ketu pujas on Sunday. Their number broke previous records.

The auspicious occasion of Aadi Amavasya, which fell on a holiday, drew massive crowds to the temple. Some 9,168 devotees participated in the Rahu Ketu pujas, surpassing the previous record of 7,597 set on June 18 last year.

The temple, famous for such pujas, saw a footfall of around 33,000 visitors throughout the day.

The Srikalahastheeswara Swamy Temple in Srikalahasti town holds a unique significance in Hindu mythology. Lord Siva and Goddess Gnana Prasunambika are considered as Rahu and Ketu incarnates.

This belief stems from the temple's iconography, where a five-headed serpent (Ketu) adorns Lord Siva's head and a single-headed serpent (Rahu) forms the waist belt of Ammavaru.

Devotees believe that prayers to the deities can alleviate dosham or negative influences. While Rahu Ketu pujas are held throughout the day, the Rahu Kalam period saw the highest concentration of devotees, as it is considered more auspicious.

The temple reported that 5,183 devotees bought `500 tickets for Rahu Ketu pujas, followed by 2,288 with tickets of `750; `933 with `1,500; 610 with `2,500; and 154 with `5,000 tickets.

In addition to the Rahu Ketu pujas, the temple sold 8,162 tickets for Seeghra darshan and special entrance. The Devasthanam also sold 29,505 packets of various prasadams in a day. Overall, the temple earned `1 crore in a single day.