Tirupati: The Ganga Jatara folk festival began with much fanfare in the temple city of Tirupati on Tuesday.
The folk goddess used to be worshipped in seven forms, namely Thallapaka Pedda Gangamma, Thathayagunta Chinna Gangamma, Muthyalamma, Nerellamma, Mathamma, Ankalamma and Veshalamma, with each of them having a dedicated temple, which are also considered to be the guardians of the ancient town.
Priests tied the ‘Vadibalu' atop the pillar situated in front of the two temples on Tuesday, formally signalling the onset of the festival.
The unique feature of this festival is the way the locals don various guises on each day while proceeding to the temple.
Even today, native residents of Tirupati earnestly follow the practice of smearing limestone, charcoal and vermilion paste all over their bodies on the first three days and dress up as women on the final day.
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Sandeep Raghavan, a seasoned Indian journalist, is a Principal Di...
Read MoreSandeep Raghavan, a seasoned Indian journalist, is a Principal Digital Content Creator for The Times of India in Andhra Pradesh's Rayalaseema region. Starting in 2008 with Studio N, he moved to Deccan Chronicle in 2013 before joining TOI in 2019. He specializes in religion, politics, and crime, with notable expertise in Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams.
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