TTD Executive Officer A.V. Dharma Reddy and Kadapa Collector V. Vijayarama Raju inspecting the arrangements in and around Vontimitta Sri Kodandarama temple in Kadapa district on Sunday.
This year, devotees will receive a handful of ‘Talambralu’ ahead of the ‘Sita Rama Kalyanam’ at the famed Sri Kodandarama temple in Vontimitta slated for April 5.
The district machinery and the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) are gearing up for the smooth conduct of the State festival, in which Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy will participate and present ‘silk Vastrams’ to the temple on behalf of the State government.
What is expected to be unique this year is the distribution of ‘Talambralu’ along with turmeric, vermilion and Annaprasadam packets to the visiting devotees while they enter the galleries to witness the celestial wedding. Talambralu is the turmeric-coated rice grains showered over the bride and groom, an important wedding ritual.
“This arrangement is done so that the visitors need not have to wait till the end of the Kalyanam for these prasadams,” said TTD Executive Officer A.V. Dharma Reddy, after a thorough and final inspection of the arrangements at the Kalyana Vedika venue.
Accompanied by Rajampeta MLA Meda Mallikarjuna Reddy, Collector V. Vijayarama Raju and TTD Joint Executive Officer V. Veerabrahmam, Mr. Dharma Reddy walked around the rest house where the CM will change over to traditional attire, inspected the convoy route map and learnt about the traffic regulations in place.