Andhra Dy CM offers clothes to deities at Srisailam Temple on Maha Shivratri

ANDHRA PRADESH: Andhra Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Kottu Satyanarayana on Friday offered clothes to the deities at the Srisailam Temple during a traditional ceremony on the eve of Maha Shivratri.

In keeping with tradition, special pujas were conducted at the temple's Rajagopuram, culminating in a resolution as part of which clothes were offered to the deities.

Loosely translated to the 'royal tower', Rajagopuram refers to the entrance to temples across the country.

They are typically equipped with four entrances, with one of them being a grand gate. After the resolution in line with tradition, ministers and legislators were seen entering the temple with clothes that they offered to the deities.

This practice has echoes of an ancient tradition as part of which emperors, kings, and royal families used to present clothes to deities during festivals in the renowned Sri Sailakshetra.

Keeping up with this historic custom, the state government has continued with the practice of offering clothes to deities during the Mahashivratri and Dussehra celebrations, reinforcing the cultural legacy of Sri Sailakshetra.

The traditional offering was made at the Rajagopuram of the temple, with Reddyvari Chakrapani Reddy, president of the Devasthanam Board of Trustees, SS Chandrasekhara Azad, special officer of the Utsav, D Peddiraja, executive officer, along with various board members, temple officials, priests, Vedic scholars, and others extending a warm welcome to the ministers and legislators.

The traditional ceremony was conducted in the presence of local legislator Shilpa Chakrapani Reddy.

As part of the offerings, flowers, fruits, clothes and money were presented to the deities.