Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy took time off to participate in the Mahasivaratri celebrations at NTR Stadium here on Thursday.
On being invited by Civil Supplies Minister Kodali Sri Venkateshwara Rao (Nani), the Chief Minister arrived here at 11.30 a.m. to a traditional welcome by priests.
Amid chants from ‘Sri Rudram’, Mr. Jagan Mohan Reddy performed ‘abhishekam’ to the ‘Sivalingam’ specially installed at the stadium.
As the priests and Mr. Nani handed him over milk and water in a brass conch-shaped vessel, the Chief Minister performed the ritual and later garlanded the ‘Sivalingam’.
Later, Mr. Jagan Mohan Reddy was ushered into the ‘yagasala’, where the priests helped him wear the traditional turban. Carrying the ‘purnahuti’ material on his head, the Chief Minister went round the ‘homagundam’ and performed ‘homam’.
The stadium reverberated with chants in praise of Lord Siva. Life-size portraits of Advaita seers such as Kanchi Paramacharya and Sringeri Sri Sharada Peetham pontiff Bharathi Tirtha were put up at vantage points.
The flexies of Mr. Nani too were conspicuous at the venue.
Endowments Minister V. Srinivasa Rao, Transport Minister Perni Venkatramaiah, TTD Chairman Y.V. Subba Reddy, and Brahmin Corporation Chairman Malladi Vishnu were among others present.
Srisaila Devasthanam too had invited Mr. Jagan Mohan Reddy for the Brahmotsavams that began on March 4.
