Ringing Lord Balaji’s wedding bells

NAGPUR: Myriad fairy lights covered Sri Balaji/Sri Kartikeya temple, Seminary Hills on Sunday, to mark Sri Balaji Kalayana Mahotsavam, making it a royal wedding venue.
It is said that Brahma first conducted this festival at Tirupati. Brahma worshipped Balaji to show gratitude to the latter for protecting mankind. Hence, this utsava bears his name as ‘Brahmotsavam’. V Satyamurty, secretary of Motibagh Sri Skanda Samaj said that the deities are dressed in a much grander fashion on this day.
“In this annual festival, Shri Balaji is wed to Shri Devi, Shri Bhudevi and Shri Padmavati. A shobha yatra was conducted and havan and gold mangalyam (mangalsutra) was performed by 10 senior ladies of the samaj. We ended the festival with mahaprasad,” he added.