It is being touted as one of the biggest yagnas ever performed in the country. The only ones that could rival the Ayuta Chandi Yagam (yagna) being planned by chief minister K Chandrasekhar Rao this month were previously conducted by the likes of Sringeri Peetham. Over 1,500 ritviks (priest) and 500 of their assistants from five states will perform the yagam at the chief minister’s farm house in Erravelli village of Medak district, about 60 km from Hyderabad.
The five-day yagam which is being performed to propitiate gods and ensure prosperity, will be held from December 23 to 27. The first four days of the yagam includes homam and Chandi Prayanam, while Purnahuthi will be conducted on the last day of the yagam.
Preparations for the yagna have begun almost a month ago and the chief minister is inspecting the works almost every week and monitoring them daily.
Chandrasekhar Rao, according to sources, is expected to run up a huge bill for the yagam. He had previously declared that the yagam is being planned and will be performed at his own cost. However, several private sponsors have come forward in creating the required facilities for the yagam.”We will display the sponsor’s contribution at the facilities they are helping us put up,” Balkonda MLA Vemula Prashanth Reddy said.
Prashant Reddy , along with a long-time Chandrasekhar Rao lieutenant Jahangir (who looks after the farm house), are overseeing the preparations for the Yagam. For rituals and to coordinate with the priests Astakala Rammohan Sharma has been deputed by the chief minister. For the artistic designs to the Yagashala, Bhojanashala and entrances, an art director named Ramesh has been brought in. An event organizer was also engaged for the gallery works and other coordination works.
“A team of 150 cooks from Chennur in Adilabad district will prepare about 50,000 meals a day for the visitors, including the general public expected to attend the event. Every visitor will also receive prasadam. The dining hall being erected can seat 10,000 people at a time and is spread over 30,000 square feet,” Jahangir said. The facilities for the main Yagam are being made in about 30 acres of the farm house.”The main Yagashala (where the actual rituals are held) covers about 40,000 square feet area and is built with bamboo and paddy straw. One hundred and six Homagundams are being build where groups of 11 Ritviks will perform the Yagnam rituals,” Prashanth Reddy told TOI on Monday .
Ten cottages are being readied for the seers coming from various mutts and peethams, as also VVIPs like the President of India and governors of different states. President of India Pranab Mukherjee, Governors ESL Narasimhan, Ch Vidyasagar Rao and K Rosaiah, Andhra Pradesh chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu and Union minister M Venkaiah Naidu are among those who have already confirmed their attendance. The Ritviks will have separate accommodation, keeping in tune with their requirements. With a slew of VIPs expected to attend the Yagam, a helipad is being built opposite the farm house. All the invitees for the Yagam are expected to wear traditional dhoti.
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