Celestial wedding of Lord Sri Venkateswara performed in Chennai

Chennai, April 7 : Hundred of thousands of people converged here on Sunday to attend the symbolic celestial wedding of Sri Venkateswara with his two consorts Padmavati and Laxmi, as their processional idols were carried here.

The idols made of precious stones belong to the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanam of Tirupati in Andhra Pradesh.

The ceremony was organized as "Kalyana Mahotsavam" the symbolic wedding of the God Sri Venkateswara, popularly known as Lord Balaji.

Organised at a heavily decorated venue in the metropolis amidst chanting of sacrosanct hymns by priests, it was held for to benefit all those devotees, especially the poor, who couldnot visit the Balaji temple at Tirupati to seek religious merit.

"Lakhs and lakhs of people who are unable to even visit Tirumala Tirupati and watch this Kalyan Utsav that's why the "Kalyanam" is conducted here. It gives opportunity to lakhs and lakhs of people to see the function and get the blessings of god," said Ramasubramaniam, a devotee.

The temple administration brought all gold ornaments to Chennai and decorated the idols of Lord Venkateswara and his consorts Padmavati (Bhudevi) and Laxmi (Sridevi).

Over 50 persist of the temple including the chief priest P.Seshadari of the Tirumala Temple (Andhra Pradesh) performed the divine marriage using Mangal Sutra (the wedding thread) on the auspicious time.

Priests prayed to the Hindu pantheon of gods and goddesses on the occasion to sanctify the celestial marriage.

Tirupati, the actual abode of Lord Venkateswara is in Andhra Pradesh.

ANI