RAJANNA-SIRCILLA, APRIL 05, 2025: The Stage is all set for the celestial wedding of Lord Rama with his consort Seetha on the auspicious Sri Rama Navami festival at Sri Raja Rajeshwara Swamy devasthanam in Vemulawada of Rajanna-Sircilla district on Sunday (April 6, 2025).
This is the only Shiva temple in the country wherein the devotees celebrate Sri Rama Navami with much pomp and gaiety by marrying Lord Shiva by donning themselves as ‘Brides of Lord Shiva’ at the ancient and historic Vemulawada temple shrine.
On the occasion of celestial wedding of Lord Rama with Seetha, the devotees including men, women and transgenders adorn themselves as ‘Brides of Lord Shiva’ and marry Lord Shiva as is a ritual since ages at this temple shrine.
The devotees consider themselves as ‘Brides of Lord Shiva’ and wear new clothes, jewelry apart from applying turmeric on their faces and vermilion on their foreheads. The devotees also carry a ‘jhola’ (sling bag) containing ‘thalambralu’ (rice mixed with turmeric), Trishul (tridents), which will be decorated with bright flowers and a bell. During the marriage rituals of Lord Rama with Seetha, the devotees carrying tridents tied with bells made rhythmic sounds as the wedding was performed amid chanting of Vedic hymns.
When the marriage ritual of lord Rama and Seetha is declared complete by the temple priests, the devotees sprinkle the ‘thalambralu’ on each other and declare their marriage with Shiva by applying ‘zilakara bellam’ (jaggery and jeera paste) on their heads before tying a yellow thread carrying ‘rudraksha’ around their necks. The ceremony is called ‘Linga Dharana’.
On this occasion, the Vemulawada temple authorities have made unprecedented arrangements for the devotees, who have arrived from Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, and other states. The devotees have already arrived at the temple shrine and occupied each available space at the shrine. The temple shrine was illuminated with colourful lighting arrangements for the celebrations.
