ENARADA, Bengaluru, November 25, 2015
The Annual Annakooda Uthsavam (also known as worshipping of Govardhana Hill) held at Vishnu temples across the nation today.
Devotees thronged to ancient Sri Venkateshwara Temple in Srirangam Srimadh Andavan Ashramam at Seshadripuram today to participate in the festival. The temple doors opened at 8:30pm and devotees waiting across temple corridors entered inside the main temple to witness rare sight of worshipping of Rice prasadam arranged in the form of a hill.
Varieties of dishes prepared in traditional way was offered to Lord Venkateshwara, Padmavathi and Andal . Devotees chanted the holy names of lord ‘Govinda’ ‘Govinda’ while priests performed arati to deities. Later prasadam was distributed among devotees.
A ritual involving homa and other pujas, Thiru Pavithrothsavam was held between November 20 and 23. According to temple sources, Pavithrothsavam event being organised every year to seek blessings of God especially for shortfalls in performing daily rituals.
The devotees who will be eager to wait to see the food festival make their entry into the temple. Photos by WWW.ENARADA.COM
Govardhana hill created entirely out of rice at Sri Venkateshwara Temple in Srirangam Srimadh Andavan Ashramam at Seshadripuram. 40 kilograms of rice was used to recreate the mythological Govardhana hill which is popularly known as ‘Anna Kooda’. The Anna Kooda is accompanied by Thengol, sakkare Pongal, peda, 7 cup cake, Mysore pak, manoappar, rava laddu, Badhusha, appam, laddu, vegetable Pulav and curd rice.
After Anna Kooda naivedya was offered to Lord Venkateshwara deity, priests get ready to offer the delicious prasadams to devotees.
Now, it is time to break Anna Kooda. The rice is now mixed with the delicious mix to serve it as prasadam.
The festival ends with the devotees being blessed by Lord’s grace and His of delicious prasadam.
