Tirupati Ganga Jatara
Tirupati Ganga Jatara | Tirupati Ganaga Jathara
Tirupati Ganga Jatara is the annual Folk festival of Tirupati. It is a week long event which falls between first and second weeks of May every year. This festival is to offer prayers to the goddess Gangamma, who is treated as the Grama Devatha (the goddess looking after the village) of Tirupati.
History
Sri Thathaya Gunta Gangamma is Grama Devatha of Tirupati town. Once upon a time when Tirupati and surrounding areas were ruled by Palegondulu, harassment on women was enormous – they use to rape and harass any woman seen. During this time, in a village “Avilala”, the Goddess Gangamma was born and grew into a most beautiful women. When the Palegondulu wanted to harm Goddess Gangamma, she with her grace and power tried to kill him. Palegondulu, fearing her, hid in a remote place. To take him out of hiding, the Gangamma planned “Ganga Jathara” where the people in Tirupathi do vichitra veshadarana and curse Gangamma for a period of 7 days. On the seventh day, the Palegondulu comes out of hiding and was killed by Goddess Gangamma for the LokaKalyanam (well being of all people).
About Ganga Jathara
Ganga Jatara, the folk festival of Tirupati, begins with the formal Chatimpu (announcement) around midnight of Tuesday.
The Gangamma Jatara is held by the Theallaya Mirasi Achari family – Eepur Achari and Kasi Achari take charge of Jatara festival and make all arrangements.
The Gangamma Jatara is a very famous local festival for the People of Tirupati. It is done every year in May. As the Gangamma temple was in banks of Thathaya gunta, the temple is famous as “Thathaya Gunta Gangamma Temple”.
Priests performed the initiatory rituals and tied `Vadibalu' to the `Viswaroopa Sthambam' in front of the temple, that set the stage for the fete. Men making the Chatimpu roam through the old town beating dappus to announce that the festival has begun and hence the residents should not leave the town till the festival is over.
Priests make the traditional huge clay idol of the goddess at the temple's portico. Everyone during the festival comes and prays to the goddess to offer her Pongal, Sarees, Turmeric and kukuma, etc.
During the last day of festival the portico will be smashed it into pieces at the auspicious moment. Devotees then clamour around to get the clay smithereens, which they consider as sacred, to be either preserved in the ‘Puja' room or consumed by mixing it in water. Though there is a ban on animal sacrifice, goats and fowls were chopped at will at a corner of the temple.
This festival is being celebrated on May 13, 14 and 15 every year, in most of the areas in Chittoor district (like Chittoor, Palamaner and Tirupati etc.), Andhra Pradesh, India.
The Festival
Day 0: Chatimpu
The Jatara(Folk Festival) Officially begins with Chatimpu(official announcement) during midnight of Tuesday.
Day 1: Bhairagi Vesham
The day after chatimpu is Bhairagi Vesham. On this day(Wednesday) people used to smear their body with white color paste(Namam Kommu) and wear a garland made of "Rella kaya"(fruit). They will hold neem leaves with the hand and also tie them around the waist. They will start on foot to Gangamma temple and will leave those neem leaves at the temple after the darshan of the Goddess.
Day 2: Banda Vesham
Day 3: Thoti Vesham
Day 4: Sunnapu Gandalu
Day 5: Dora Vesham
Day 6: Mathangi Vesham
Day 7: Gangamma Jatara
The last day of the festival is celebrated as Ganga jatara. During this day all Gangamma temples in Tirupati are flocked with lakhs of devotees. People used to visit temple and offer "pongallu" and/or Sarees to Gangamma. Few Devotees used to have darshan of Gangamma by wearing "Sapparalu"(A special gopuram like object made of bamboo)along with "Dappu Vaidyam"(A musical instrument). "Ragi Ambali" is served to the deveotees visiting temples all over the city.
After the midnight A clay idol of Gangamma(Viswaroopam) is installed in front of the Temple. A guy will dress up like "Perantallu" and will remove the chempa(cheek) of viswaroopam which is referred to as "Chempa Tholagimpu". The clay is later distributed to the Devotees which is believed to have curing powers. By this event the entire seven day Jatara willcome to an end.
Tirupati Gangamma Jathara 2016. Gangamma Jathara 2016 Date and Timings. Tirupati Gangamma Jathara Vesham dates. Jathara 2016
Tirupati set for ‘Ganga Jatara’
The temple city is all set to celebrate the annual folk festival - ‘Ganga Jatara’ - from the dawn of Wednesday. It is perhaps the only major religious event in the city, which is not conducted by Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD).
Announcing the start
‘Chatimpu’, the traditional method of tom-tom will be employed during the intervening night of Tuesday and Wednesday to announce to the denizens the onset of the festival.
It is a practice among residents not to leave the station after the tom-tom is made and during the nine-day festival, while outsiders do not arrive into old town (not the newly-developed outlying colonies) during the festival.
Relief from obligation
However, those wishing to leave Tirupati during the fest skip staying in the town during the ‘Chatimpu’, as they believe it relieves them from the obligation.
After a traditional ‘Abhishekam’ to the presiding deity of Goddess Gangamma inside the sanctum sanctorum, the priests tied a ‘Vadibalu’ to the pillar ‘Viswaroopa Sthambham’ in front of the temple, which signals the beginning of the festival.
‘Saarey’, a set of items comprising turmeric, kumkum and silk clothes was brought to the temple in a colourful procession from Avilala village located south of Tirupati.
Avilala is believed to be the birthplace of the Goddess and hence the ‘Saarey’ is considered a ‘birthday gift’ to Gangamma from her maternal home.
Interesting three days
The first three days of the event has an interesting feature where various colours are smeared all over the body - white (using ‘Namam’ stick), red (using ‘Kumkum’) and black (using coal powder) to celebrate ‘Bairagi’, ‘Banda’ and ‘Thoti’ Vesham respectively.
Similarly, male devotees visit the temple in the guise of a woman, by draping saris, wearing bangles and flowers.
All these rituals may appear bizarre to the new visitors in town, but the devout perform them with utmost care and commitment.
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