Bangalore: Lakhs Witness Marriage of Gods

DH News Service
 
Bangalore, June 23: Attired in their traditional best like they do for any marriage, the devotees even braved the downpour to catch a glimpse of Balaji's marriage to Bhoodevi and Sridevi at the first-ever Sri Srinivasa Kalyanotsava at Palace Grounds in Bangalore on Sunday evening...

It was the marriage of the gods. No wonder, mortals flocked to the venue in lakhs to witness the Lord himself exchange vows with the goddesses.

A sea of humanity witnessed the first-ever Sri Srinivasa Kalyanotsava at Palace Grounds in Bangalore on Sunday evening.

Attired in their traditional best like they do for any marriage, the devotees even braved the downpour to catch a glimpse of Balaji’s marriage to Bhoodevi and Sridevi.

The City’s glitterati led by Governor Rameshwar Thakur, Chief Minister Yeddyurappa and Ministers Katta Subramanya Naidu, R Ashok, Janardhan Reddy and Ramachandra Gowda was in attendance for the Kalyanotsava, organised by the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD).

For those who could not get inside the pandal, large LCD screens erected across the grounds beamed the event live. With lakhs of devotees making a beeline to the Kalyanotsava, all roads leading to Palace Road were chock-a-block with bumper-to-bumper traffic for hours on end.

At the venue too, it was sheer chaos. Arguments broke out between security guards and police officials and devotees as the crowds swelled. Over 2.5 lakh passes were distributed by the TTD, but many more people made it to the venue.

The three-hour ceremony was performed over an area of 10 acres. A replica of the Vivaha Mantapa at Tirupati was recreated. Chanting of vedas and cries of “Govinda Govinda” from devotees rent the air.

While Kalyanotsava takes place every day at Tirupati temple, this one in Bangalore was the 45th performed outside the hill shrine. The TTD has been organising Kalyanotsavas outside Tirupati for three years now.