Traditional Kamadahana Ritual Conducted at srisailam Temple

NEWS CHARIOT:-As part of the Phalguna Shuddha Chaturdashi celebrations, the grand Kamadahana ritual was conducted on Wednesday at 6:30 PM in front of the Gangadhara Mandapam at the srisailam temple. The event witnessed the participation of devotees and temple authorities, who came together to perform the sacred ceremony with devotion and grandeur.

Ahead of the Kamadahana ritual, special prayers were conducted inside the temple for Sri Swami and Amma Varla. The deities, adorned in splendid attire and ornaments, were worshipped with traditional Vedic rituals. Following this, the festival idols were placed ceremoniously in front of the sacred fire pit within the temple premises, where priests performed elaborate rituals invoking divine blessings.

A special palanquin service (Pallaki Seva) was then organized, during which the deities were carried in a grand procession. Devotees chanted hymns and bhajans as they accompanied the deities from the temple sanctum to the Gangadhara Mandapam, where the main Kamadahana ritual was conducted.

Upon arrival at the mandapam, the priests carried out traditional pujas and rituals as per the scriptures. The culmination of the event was the symbolic burning of Manmadha’s effigy, a significant aspect of this festival. According to Hindu mythology, Manmadha, the god of love, attempted to disrupt Lord Shiva’s meditation. Enraged, Lord Shiva opened his third eye and incinerated Manmadha on the day of Phalguna Shuddha Chaturdashi. The Kamadahana ritual is observed annually to commemorate this event, signifying the triumph of divine will over desire. Scriptures also mention that witnessing this sacred ceremony bestows devotees with Lord Shiva’s grace.

The ceremony saw the active participation of temple authorities, including Executive Officer M. Srinivasa Rao, Chief Priest K. Shiva Prasad Swami, M. Poornananda Aradhyula, Public Relations Officer T. Srinivasa Rao, supervisors, and other temple staff.

The event concluded with blessings and prasad distribution, leaving devotees with a sense of spiritual fulfillment. Stay tuned for more updates on temple festivals and traditions.