Vijayawada, Tirupati, Srisailam, Kakinada: Temples across Andhra Pradesh began celebrations of the nine-day Dasara festivities with special pujas which will culminate into the Vijayadashami festival.
On the first day, the presiding deity at Sri Durga Malleswara Swamy Varla Devasthanam, atop Indrakeeladri in Vijayawada, was dressed as Sri Bala Tripura Sundari Devi.
According to temple priests, the Alankaram on the first day of the nine-day festival is that of Sri Bala Tripura Sundari Devi.
“Bala means small child. On this day, small kids aged 2 and 10 years will be
given new clothes and gifts. Payasam is offered today as prasadam. Balatripura is the first goddess in the Tripura Traya and she is the main goddess of all in the Sri Yantra. Without having got the mantra of Bala, one is not eligible to perform the Sri Yantra Pooja,” the priests said, explaining the significance of the deity’s alankaram on the first day.
Several dignitaries, including Andhra Pradesh Governor S. Abdul Nazeer, accompanied by his family members, visited the temple and offered silk robes to the Goddess.
Atop Tirumala hills in Tirupati, the Navahnika Navaratri Brahmotsavams have begun, with Lord Venkateswara Swamy and his divine consorts, taken out for a celestial ride in a Bangaru Tiruchi (Golden Palanquin) around the four Mada Streets of the temple on Sunday morning.
In the evening, Lord Malayappa, along with his two wives — Sridevi and Bhudevi — gave darshan to devotees on the Pedda Sesha Vahana (mammoth serpent vehicle), marking the commencement of the first 'vahana seva' of the festival.
According to legends, the Pedda Sesha Vahanam symbolises Dhyana Bhakti and Dasya Bhakti. The mighty serpent plays a vital role in Hindu mythology, as it is upon this mammoth snake that Lord Vishnu reclines while sleeping in the milky sea.
The festivities have also begun at Sri Bhramaramba Mallikarjuna Temple temple at Srisailam, one of the 18 Shakti Peethas which are spread across India, Pakistan and Bangladesh.
The day began with a series of rituals at the Bhramaramba Ammavari temple mandapam, including Yagashala Pravesham, Ganapathi Puja, Deeksha Sankalpam, Kankanapuja, Kankanadharana, and Ritvigvaranam programmes
Devi pujas have been started at the famous temples Bala Tripura Sundari Temple, Annaurna Sametha Visweswara Swamy Temple, Lord Temple and other temples in the erstwhile East and West Godavari Districts
A large number of devotees thronged to Akondi Lakshmi and Changati "Goushala'' to the Devi poojas, supervised by eminent spiritual speaker Chaganti Koteswara Rao at Kakinada.
