Andhra Pradesh

Row over climbing of ‘sirimaanu’

VIZIANAGARAM: Who will mount ‘sirimaanu’ (the ceremonial post) this year? This question, after a couple of persons expressed willingness to climb the ‘sirimaanu’ came up for discussion at a meeting on Sri Pydithalli Ammavaru festival which will be celebrated on October 23.

Lok Sabha member Botsa Jhansi Lakshmi, local MLA Kolagatla Veerabhadra Swamy, Municipal Chairperson M. Geetha, Collector B. Kishore and other officials participated in the meeting held at the Collectorate on Friday.

At the meting, chief priest of the temple Bantupalli Bairagi Naidu, who retired a few months ago and who has been mounting the 50-feet long ceremonial post for the past 25 years, said that either he or his son B. Venkata Rao, an employee in the Endowments Department, must be allowed to climb the ‘sirimaanu’ as per the centuries-old family tradition.

Further, he said that he would not part with the ‘ratham’ (chariot) on which the ceremonial pole is fixed for the jaatara if there was any deviation from the traditional practice.

As there was stiff opposition from the Sri Pydimamba Seva Sangam to the age-old practice, Assistant Commissioner (Endowments) issued a notice to Mr. Bairagi Naidu. She said that the Department had been meeting expenses for the chariot’s repairs.

Intervening in the discussion, the Lok Sabha member asked the Assistant Commissioner to seek a clarification from the Commissioner on the issue.

Later, the meeting discussed the arrangements to be made for the festival. Ms. Jhansi Lakshmi asked the Collector to set up a helpline counter for the convenience of devotees coming from neighbouring states and also send proposals to the Government for release of grants as the festival was as important as ‘Sammakka-Sarakka’ jaatara.

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