Rathasaptami, also known as ‘Surya Jayanti', was celebrated in the city amid religious ecstasy on Friday. The temples across the State and in the city were abuzz with festivities.
The Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) for the first time organised ‘Surya namaskaram’. Young and old alike enthusiastically performed Surya namaskarams (the sun salutation) at the Vani English Medium School, Uyyur Public School, Santinketan, and other places. The TTD and the Dharma Prachara Parishad jointly organised the event. Parishad Krishna district youth coordinator MSK Prasad, youth coordinator Nagalingam Shivaji and others were present.
The Durga Ghat witnessed rush as devotees thronged the place to take a holy dip to mark Magha Sukla Saptami. The temples, more particularly Sri Vijayeeswara Swamy temple and Indrakeeladri, wore a festive look. The priests of Sri Durga Malleswara Swamyvarla Devasthanam conducted Suryopasana, Aruna Parayana and Mahasoura Parayana .
As part of the celebrations, the women devotees cooked payasam as naivedyam to lord Surya on firewood stoves in open air. The payasam was distributed to the devotees.
Referring to scriptures, Uttaradi Mutt scholar Kanugovi Vasudevacharya said Saptami tithi had been dedicated to Lord Surya. Shukla Paksha Saptami in Magha month is known as Rathasaptami or Magha Saptami. The sun turns towards the northern hemisphere, in a north-easterly direction. It also marks the birth of Surya and hence celebrated as Surya Jayanti, he explained.
With fast urbanisation, the jilledu (Calotropis gigantean or Gigantic swallow wort) is fast disappearing in the city and its suburbs. As it is mandatory to use the swallow wort while taking bath on this day, the vendors have filled the gap. The vendors sold the leaves of jilledu at places like K. R. Market. The devotees keep leaves of jilledu on their head and shoulders before taking bath. They believe that Surya blesses them with good health and fortune if they take bath with jilledu before sunrise.
Walkers’association
Railway Stadium’s Happy Walkers Association on Friday organised Surya namaskarams programme as part of ‘Rathasampthami’ here on Friday. Nearly 150 walkers took part and performed several asanas .
P. Venkateshwara Rao, Reserve Inspector (GRP) and N. Arjuna Rao, former international kabaddi player, attended as guests and explained the value of Surya namaskarams in human life.
On this occasion, Yoga guru Isukapalli Anjaneya Sharma from Krishna District Yoga Association was felicitated by the members.
The yoga guru expressed his concern over deficiency of Vitamin D among children and women, and exhorted them to get exposed to the sun.
“Our body is designed to get the vitamin D it needs by producing it when the bare skin is exposed to sunlight. The part of the sun’s rays that is important is ultraviolet B (UVB),” he pointed out.
