All set for Appanna’s Kalyanotsavam today

VISAKHAPATNAM:  Sri Varaha Lakshmi Narasimha Swamy Devasthanam (SVLND) has completed all necessary arrangements for the annual ‘Tiru Kalyanotsavam” of swamy on Tuesday. The temple is expecting more than 30,000 devotees to visit the temple and will have darshan of Simhachalam Appanna in connection with the auspicious occasion. Devasthanam authorities have completed all arrangements for the celestial wedding which is also known as the ‘Brahmotsavams’ as per their action plans. Marking the vehicle parking lots, arranging palm leaves roofs on waiting halls, queue lines with barricades, around 12,000 laddoos (30 gram each) along with one pearl and marriage talambralu of God appanna to around 12 k devotees who are to be expected to witness the ‘Kalyanotsavam’ at the specially decorated ‘Kalyanotsavam dais’ on Tuesday night. 

The Kalyanotsavam of Appanna is unique and has its own kind of celebration as the entire two and a half hour-long programme will take place in the full moon light in almost open air auditorium like premises. 

On the Kalyanotsavam day, apart from the regular morning rituals, the team of priests starts the special rituals at around 3.45 pm with Kotnala utsav, Aradhana and a special homam. Later, Dhwajaarohanam will be conducted. Further, ‘Tiru Veedhi’ (holy procession) will be performed at the four maada Veedhulu (royal pathways).

Then at around 6.30 pm, Edurukolu (Cross welcome) will be performed at ‘Jodu Bhadraalu’ centre. At around 7.30 pm, the deities of God and Goddesses will be decorated in traditional marriage attire. Then the deities would be placed in the traditional Marriage Chariot which would be driven by Kadiri Lakshmana Rao, a fisherman who belongs to the family of traditional Appanna chariot drivers and has been for more than half a century continuing as the Chariot driver of Lord Appanna. 

Thousands of devotees will throng to pull and participate in the Chariot ride of Swamy as they believe that it is the ultimate salvation of  their life. Later from around 9 pm the auspicious Appanna ‘Kalyanotsavam’ will start and continue up to up to midnight. SVLND authorities are expecting around 30,000 devotees for the Kalyanotsavam. 

Elaborate arrangements
SVLND made available around 50,000 laddoos for sale. The sanctum sanctorum was tastefully illuminated and colorful settings. Keeping in view of the summer heat, palm leave roofed shelters were made available for the devotees to take rest in the midway. Drinking water, buttermilk along with emergency medical services were arranged on the hilltop and along the trekking path. Tight security arranged at all crucial points