Godadevi Kalyanam marks Dhanurmasam end; Bhogi celebrated across North Andhra

As the holy month of Dhanurmasam drew to a close on Wednesday, temples across Vizianagaram, Srikakulam, and Visakhapatnam turned vibrant with devotional fervour, with hundreds of devotees gathering to witness Godadevi Kalyanam — the celestial marriage of Goddess Godadevi (Andal Ammavaru) with Lord Sri Ranganadha Swamy, a form of Lord Krishna.

In Vizianagaram, large crowds visited the Astalakshmi Sametha Ishwarya Venkateswara Swamy temple, Jagannath Swamy temple, Sri Kanyakaparameswari Swamy temple, and Sri Kalyana Venkateswara Swamy temple, where special rituals were organised for the occasion. Trustees of the Sri Astalakshmi temple, Durga Balaji and D. Umadevi, made elaborate arrangements and explained the significance of the kalyanam to devotees.

In Srikakulam, the Shiva Balaji temple held the celebrations with priest Gopinambala Sitaramacharyulu performing the kalyanam in the temple premises. Trustee Gunta Tulasi Rao and others supervised arrangements to ensure hassle-free darshan for devotees.

In Visakhapatnam, special prayers and Godadevi Kalyanam rituals were held at multiple temples, including the ISKCON temple at MVP Colony and several Sri Venkateswara Swamy temples across the city, drawing steady footfall through the day.

Meanwhile, Bhogi was celebrated with religious fervour across the three districts. In Visakhapatnam, traditional festivities were seen in neighbourhoods such as Seethammadhara, Maddilapalem, Dwaraka Nagar, Gajuwaka, and Pendurthi, with devotees offering prayers and lighting bonfires. Vizianagaram MLA Aditi Vijayalakshmi also participated in the celebrations.