The Sri Guru Raghavendra Swamy Mutt at Mantralayam in Andhra Pradesh witnessed a flower-showering for the second time on the chariot that carried the statues of Prahladraj, who is believed to be an incarnation, and Sri Guru Raghavendra, from a helicopter during the Rathotsavam on the Uttararadhana day on Tuesday. The event was part of the Aradhana celebrations, a week-long annual event organised at the mutt.
The service of flower-showering from a helicopter was offered by Prasad Duttajirao Patil, an industrialist from Pune, Maharashtra, from his own helicopter. As per the mutt sources, this service was for the first time offered in 1986 by a Mumbai-based devotee.
The holy town of Mantralayam witnessed a heavy turnout of devotees from Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra and other parts of the country on the fifth day of 344th Aradhana celebrations.
Sri Subudhendra Tirtha, head and chief administrator of the mutt, delivered a blessing-message in Kannada, Telugu, Tamil and Hindi languages, wishing for a peaceful and prosperous world. He said that the mutt was the only one in the country that had devotees from all walks of life, irrespective of caste, creed, socio-economic status, etc.
After delivering his blessing-message and completing the rituals, Subhudhendra Tirtha flagged off the Rathotsavam. While the devotees pulled the decorated chariot that carried the statues of Prahladraj and Sri Guru Raghavendra on the ground, Subhudhendra Tirtha, Dr. Prasad Duttajirao Patil and S.N. Suyameendrachar, personal secretary to Subhudhendra Tirtha, offered flowers from the helicopter.
Before the Rathotsavam began, Subudhendra Tirtha offered special pujas to Moola Rama at the Brindavan of Sri Guru Raghavendra Swami. The seer and the mutt staff, as per traditions, smeared colours on one another’s faces.
