Chief Minister YSR initiates 'yagnam' for rain

Hyderabad, Jul 23: Concerned over the delay in rains due to a passive Southwest monsoon, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y S Rajasekhara Reddy on Wednesday, July 23, initiated a three-day 'Mahavaruna Yagnam' to appease Lord Varuna for bountiful rains and bumper crops during the Khariff season in the state.

Speaking on the occasion, Dr Reddy praised the Tirupati Tirumala Devasthanams Board for organising the 'yagnam' at the exhibition grounds here for people's prosperity. The Chief Minister, who was accompanied by his Cabinet colleagues K Jana Reddy (Home) and J Ratnakar Rao (Endowments) and TTD Chairman Karunakar Reddy, said the TTD was doing good work by initiating Dalits into vedic studies and performing mass marriages.

Over 150 vedic 'pandits', led by Vedanta Vishnu Bhattacharya and N A K Srinivas Varahaacharyulu, were performing the yagnam as per 'Vaikanasa agamam'.

UNI