Vara Lakshmi Vratham celebrated with spiritual fervour at Tiruchanoor temple

Tiruchanoor, August 8: The ancient Sri Padmavathi Ammavari temple at Tiruchanoor witnessed a sea of devotees on Friday as Vara Lakshmi Vratham was observed with deep spiritual fervour. The festival, dedicated to Goddess Lakshmi, drew thousands of women who performed traditional rituals seeking prosperity and well-being for their families.

Special rituals mark the occasion

The temple began the day with special pre-dawn rituals, including Suprabhatha Seva to the presiding deity. Priests conducted elaborate abhishekams and alankaranams, adorning the goddess with silk garments and fresh flower garlands.

Women devotees, many dressed in traditional silk sarees, queued up from early morning to offer their prayers. They carried kalasams (sacred pots) adorned with turmeric, vermillion, and mango leaves, a key symbol of the Vratham.

The main ritual involved the chanting of Lakshmi Sahasranamam and the offering of naivedyam (sacred food) to the goddess. Devotees tied yellow threads on their wrists after the pooja, believing it would bring divine blessings.

Thousands participate amid strict arrangements

Authorities estimated that over 50,000 devotees visited the temple complex by noon. The Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD), which manages the shrine, had made elaborate arrangements for crowd management.

Special queues were set up for women to ensure smooth darshan. TTD deployed additional security personnel and volunteers to guide the crowd. Free drinking water and buttermilk stalls were set up at multiple points.

Devotees from neighbouring districts like Nellore, Chittoor, and Kadapa arrived in large numbers. Many had travelled overnight to participate in the early morning rituals.

Tradition and devotion on display

Vara Lakshmi Vratham, observed on the Friday before the full moon day in the month of Shravana, holds special significance in South India. Married women observe a fast and perform the pooja at home or in temples, invoking the eight forms of Goddess Lakshmi.

The Tiruchanoor temple, dedicated to Goddess Padmavathi, is one of the most prominent venues for this festival in Andhra Pradesh. The temple's priests said the number of participants this year was higher than in previous years, reflecting growing devotion.

Many devotees also visited the nearby Sri Venkateswara temple in Tirumala after completing their rituals at Tiruchanoor. The twin pilgrim centres remained abuzz with activity through the day.

Officials have not yet released the final figures of total footfall but confirmed that the festival passed off peacefully without any untoward incidents.

TTD has announced that similar arrangements will be in place for the upcoming Janmashtami and Vinayaka Chavithi festivals, which are expected to see large crowds in the coming weeks.