(article by Dinesh)
Chittor Nadi Veedhi Gangamma Jathara: The festival has a history of over 350 years. Unlike regular Jatharas elsewhere in the district, the Chittoor Jatara is unique as there is no temple dedicated to the Goddess Gangamma. Her idol made of clay and turmeric is installed on the busy Bazaar Street during the festival. After the Jatara, the idol is immersed in a nearby tank.
A long time ago, Chittoor was attacked by deadly diseases like plague. The village head then, decided to cleanse Chittoor with turmeric water and neem. This Jathara was born out of that ritual. Chittoor Gangamma Jaathara falls on a Tuesday in the mid of May every year. The nimarjanam, which is also done on the same day, is usually attended by lakhs of devotees.
Exactly a week prior to the commencement of the Jathara, the alayaa committee conducts a program called ‘Chatimpu’ to announce the dates of the festival. There is a belief that after the Chatimpu, the village should not step out of the boundaries of the village until they get a darshan of the goddess.
On the first day of Jathara, the Dharmakartha Sri CK Babu inaugurates the festival by offering ‘Tholi Puja’. This is when the people of Chittoor offer ‘Ambali’ to the goddess and in afternoon they offer non-veg food as prasadam. The second day is the main event wherein, Dharmakartha CK Babu receives the ‘సారె’ from the Ponniamman temple and arrives at the Gangamma temple. He starts the nimajan proceedings by offering a puja. He also begins the Om Shakthi Bhaktha yathra. The Om Shakthi Bhakths take part in some daring feats. They pierce their tongues with a Trishool and insert iron hangers into their backs to try and pull huge tractors and cars. The rituals finally come to an end on the high road.
The highlight is that thousands of people from across Chittoor district and the neighboring States of Tamil Nadu and Karnataka arrive in Chittoor town to take part in the Jatara on the invitation of their relatives. The festivities begin on first day at midnight, with thousands of youth converging at the Bazaar Street junction to witness the consecration of the idol. After pujas by Dharmakartas, devotees proceed for darshan of the goddess. This usually goes on till Wednesday evening. During the two days, the public wear various attires (‘veshams’) as part of their vows. Sheep and birds are sacrificed at the nearby Ponniyamma temple and temples of the Goddess Shakti in and around Chittoor town. Thousands of women take part in the lighting of ghee lamps at these temples.
Tirupathi Sri Thathaya Gunta Gangamma Jathara: A long time ago, Tirupati and the surrounding areas were ruled by ‘Palegondlu’. The tyrannical Palegondlu were infamous for molesting the women of the region on several occasions. It was in times like these, in a village named ‘Avilala’, the goddess gangamma was said to have been born. She grew up to be a very beautiful young woman which caught the eye of the Palegondlu. The perverted Palegondlu then tried to molest which infuriated her. She burst out in rage and tried to kill him. Fearing the wrath of the goddess, the Palegondlu was hidden in an unknown place.
To entice him out of his hiding place, the goddess planned the “Gangamma Jathara”. The people of Tirupati adopted Vichitra veshadharana for a period of 7 days and cursed Gangamma. On the Seventh day the Palegondlu stepped out of hiding only to be killed by Gangamma. The ritual has been performed in similar fashion every year ever since.
There is another interesting story associated with this temple and its goddess. Centuries ago, goddess Gangamma troubled an entire village with a very strange disease that consumed scores of people. This happened year after year in spite of the mass festival called Jathara that was celebrated in honor of the goddess. One such year when the Jathara was in progress, the goddess felt very sorry for the troubles faced by the villagers. She spoke through one of the devotees whom she was possessing and vowed to rid the village of the disease if they offered her one human sacrifice every year. The villagers agreed and both the goddess and the villagers honored their vows ever since.
The Gangamma Jathara is a very famous local festival for the People of Tirupati. It comes every year in month of May. As the Gangamma temple was on the banks of ‘Thathaya gunta’, the temple is famous as “Thathaya Gunta Gangamma Temple”. People worship this goddess with great belief; on Tuesdays and Fridays “Pongallu” is offered to the deity.
Schedule:
Day 0: Chatimpu Day 1: Bhairagi Vesham Day 2: Banda Vesham Day 3: Thoti Vesham Day 4: Sunnapu Gandalu Day 5: Dora Vesham Day 6: Mathangi Vesham Day 7: Gangamma Jatara
