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Cities & Towns Andhra Pradesh Tirupati Destination Fairs, Festivals and Events Gangamma Jatra
'Gangamma jatra' (folk festival) is celebrated at the Tataiah Gunta Gangamma temple in Tirupati annually. Goddess Gangamma who is the village Diety is worshipped during this festival. This week long festival, celebrated annually in the month of May, has many peculiar rituals. The legend goes that the Goddess killed the evil Palegondulu and saved the women from his harassment. It is said that Jatra was celebrated to bring out Palegondulu, who went into hiding fearing the wrath of the Goddess. During the festival period, devotees clad in various 'vesam' (disguise), criss-cross the streets of the temple town shouting filthy words as part of the tradition to drive away evil forces and offer prayers to different folk goddess in the temples. Smearing sandalwood paste all over the body, the devotees wear glittering clothes and cover their heads with jasmine garlands. They enter the temple of goddess Gangamma, after performing arati. The week long celebrations will come to a close after smashing the huge earthen idol of the goddess erected outside the temple at an auspicious time by the priest. |
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By : T.V. Ramanan | |||
Aug 27, 2012 7:52:15 PM | Mumbai | Reply to this Comment/ Review | ||
I was in Tirupati from 1945 to 1961 and used to participate in that fair regularly. I miss now. |
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