HYDERABAD: A Hot and humid weather, lack of sleep from standing in queues since early hours and inadequate arrangements could not deter devotees from being enraptured at the sight of the ‘mangala sutram’ being tied. 

Chants of Vedic hymns, billowing conch shells and booming drums created an otherworldly experience on the occasion of the celestial wedding of Lord Rama and Devi Sita, in Bhadrachalam. 
The temple deities were ornately decorated, and brought to silver ‘simhasanam’ amid a colourful procession, from the main temple at 10.30 am on Sunday. 
State Endowments Minister A Indrakaran Reddy offered muthyalatalambralu (pearls) and ‘pattu vastralu’ to the divine couple on behalf of State government, a tradition in vogue since the days of Qutubshahi dynasty. 

As part of Sri Rama Navami celebrations, Rama Deeksha has begun in the temple premises from Sunday evening. Thousands of devotees have already taken the Sri Rama punarvasu deeksha.
However, with the model code in place, Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao did not attend the ceremony, as has been the annual ritual for several years. With the Bhadrachalam division seeing a surge in Maoist presence in recent times, over 1,000 police personnel from IG rank to home guards besides of special party police and CRPF personnel were arranged. 

Meanwhile MLAs and other senior government officials participated in the religious ceremonies across the State.
Free meals in temples
Across the district of Mahbunagar, free meals were arranged by temples on Sunday. 

No place for devotees at Bhadrachalam
Devotees, young and old, visiting the Bhadrachalam’s Sita Ramachandraswamy temple were in for a bitter experience this year after the authorities failed miserably in arranging accommodation for thousands of them. While the lack of accommodation and a preferential treatment to the VVIPs is not a new phenomenon, visitors were especially disappointed after this year’s tall claims to provide places to stay for one and all. Also, there was a new member in the list of VVIPs this year. Reportedly, families of police officials were allowed VVIP entrance from the side of the Midhila Stadium.