By Himavardhan Goud
Tirupati: After the intense election campaign ended, Tirupati acquired a spiritual beauty. The Tirupati Gangamma fair is very distinct among the famous fairs held in the Andhra Pradesh.
Every year, the fair is organized for seven days in the month of May. Thousands of devotees from different places flock to this fair. According to tradition, during the Tirupati Gangamma jatara, the Kaikala clans performed Chatimpu puja in the village late at night on May 14 and started the fair with Chatimpu in the suburbs of the city.
As the fair began, pujas were performed to seek the grace of the goddess. On the 1st day of jatara, devotees paid obeiscance to Goddess Bairagi Vesham followed by Banda Vesham on 16, Toti Vesham on 17, Dora Vesham on 18, Matangi Vesham on 19, Sunanpu Kundas on 20, and Chapparam for Gangamma on 21.
Today, in the early hours, the fair ended with a cheek-splitting ceremony after Vishwarupa Darshan, the Gangamma idol was smashed into pieces, Devotees then clamored around to get the clay pieces of deity, which they consider sacred. These clay pieces will be either preserved in the puja room or consumed by mixing them in water.
Though there is a ban on animal sacrifice, goats and fowl were chopped at will at a corner of the temple. Also, there is another feature in Goddess Gangamma jatara, the villagers do not leave the village for as many days as the fair. Also, it is customary here for people who come from other places to leave without staying overnight. Gangamma Fair has a history of 900 years, Gangamma who incarnated as the village deity, is believe to be the younger sister of Tirumala Srivaru.
