Date:08/04/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/04/08/stories/2008040857030400.htm

Andhra Pradesh

Special rituals mark Ugadi fete

Staff Reporter

TTD launches ‘Bhakti’ channel

TIRUMALA: ‘Ugadi’- the Telugu New Year Day was celebrated amidst religious fervour at the temple of Lord Venkateswara. Special rituals like visesha padi procession and nuthana vastram procession were performed at the Vimana Prakaram inside the temple followed by the Ugadi Asthanam conducted for the processional deities at the Bangaru Vakili inside the sanctum sanctorum.

The chief priest of the temple rendered the ‘Panchanga Sravanam’ forecasting both the seasonal and political incidents likely to happen during this Telugu New Year in the country. In connection with the festival the entire temple complex was exquisitely decorated with a variety of flowers.

The ugadi asthanam was followed by a string of events . Prominent among them was the inauguration of the Sri Venkateswara Bhakti Channel (SVBC) by chief pontiff of the Tirumala temple Sri Ranga Ramanuja Pedda Jeeyar and the launching of the 108-ambulance service by TTD Chairman B. Karunakar Reddy. TTD board member Dr. Chadalawada Sudha donated golden panchapatras worth Rs. 55 lakh to the goddess Padmavathi temple at Tiruchanoor.