Lakhs witness Srinivasa Kalyanam

SECUNDERABAD: Lakhs of people chanting 'Govinda, Govinda' and braving the rain took part in Tirumala Tirupathi Devasthanams' 'Sri Srinivasa Kalyanotsavam' at Parade Grounds on Saturday.
For the first time, the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) organised the 'kalyanam' in the city. Agama veda pandits from Tirumala performed Lord Balaji's 'kalyanam' for about three hours according to the Hindu tradition.
Later, the organisers distributed Tirupati laddu, pulihora, a thread and pocket size photo of the Lord and his consorts to devotees who attended the event.
A city-based cine architect, Ashok Kumar, put up a replica of the Tirumala temple. The main statue of Sri Venkateswara was brought to city from Tirupati.
Governor Narayan Datt Tiwari, endowments minister Ratnakar Rao were among those who attended the programme.
Sixteen artists from Annamayya project and singer R G Shobharaj rendered Annamacharya keertans for about one-and-half hours. Devotees joined her when she began singing 'Kondalalo nelakonna koneti rayudu vadu...' and 'Adivo alladivo sreehari vasam....'
Addressing the gathering, TTD chairman B Karunkar Reddy said that the event was conducted to popularise 'Annamacharya keerthanalu' and its importance among people. The TTD has taken a massive campaign in the country in this regard. The 'Sri Srinivasa Kalyanam' was also for the benefit of devotees who could not afford to take a pilgrimage to Tirumala.
Police made elaborate security arrangements in view of the large public turnout.
The police allowed devotees into the venue only through door-frame-metal detectors.