Dasara Festival:
The Dasara Festival during the first nine days, or rather the first nine nights (called Navarathri) during the onset of winter season (called Sharadritu Ritu standing for season) worshiping the Goddess – assumes greater significance in Jillellamudi, where the Mother of All – Matrusri Anasuya Devi is worshiped as the Goddess Adi Parashakti or the Primal source of creation. Every year during this Navarathri Festival Mother is worshiped in nine different forms, one on each day – Bala, Lalitha, Saraswati, Durga, Mahakali etc. This year the Navarathri celebrations were held from 7th to 16th October, 2002 during which Pujas of different kinds are performed during different times of the day starting from 6.0 am going upto 9.0 pm.
Every night Aartis of various types are offered to Amma and Hymavati Devi. Sister Dr. Jhansi and the couples B.Ramachandra & Lakshmi Suguna and E. Hanumababu & Swarajya Lakshmi worshiped Mother as Saraswati, Durga Devi and Mahakali respectively. On the final day i.e., the 10th day (Vijaya Dasami) the couple Valluri Panduranga Rao and Sujatha worshiped Mother and performed puja to the ‘Shami’ tree.
On the Vijaya Dasami day (the final day), B.Ramabrahmam, sister Brahmandam Vasundhara, P.S.R.Anjaneya Prasad, the couples Nadendla Lakshmana Rao & Bhramaramba, Pallamrajus, Valluri Ramesh & Hyma etc., performed the ‘Devi Upanishat Homam’ under the leadership of Tangirala Kesava Sarma.
Rendering of Bhajans: Under the auspices of the Shirdi Sai Bhajana Mandali of Chirala a Bhajan program was held on October 6 in memory of Late Sri Aravapalli Hanumantha Rao who passed away recently. Sri Hanumantha Rao, while alive, used to visit Jillellamudi frequently and render bhajans.
A Kitchen for the Temples: Keeping in view the special needs of those performing pujas in Anasuyeswralayam and Hymalayam, a kitchen was constructed to prepare offerings for the two Temples and cater to those offering special pujas. The construction was made possible due to the munificence of brother V.Dharmasuri of Hyderabad. This was inaugurated on the first day (Padyami) of the Dasara Festival by the couple Racharla Lakshminarayana & Kamala. As directed by Amma in a dream, sister Smt.Nadendla Bhramaramba made offerings of food items during all the days of the festival and arranged lunch for all the brothers and sisters who performed puja to Amma.
Ashtavadhanam:
Ashtavadhanam is a literary show special to the Telugu literary field wherein a Scholar in Telugu Literature & Poetry responds impromptu to the questions posed by an array of eight (Ashta) persons equally well versed in Telugu literature. This demands a great literary & poetic skill and extraordinary memory on the part of the Avadhani ( the person performing Ashtavadhanam).
Such an Ashtavadhanam based on Bhagavad Geeta was performed in Jillellamudi on 11th November by a boy of tender age of 11 years, ‘Geetha Avadhani Kishora’ Chi. Gudimella Kalyana Rama Swaroop who kept the audience spellbound by demonstrating unusual skill in answering the questions posed by the ‘Pruchchakas’ (the questioners) with remarkable ease to their amusement and amazement!
60th Birthday celebrations of Sri Hymavati Devi:
The highlight of the month of November is the celebration of 60th Birthday of Sri Hymavati Devi on 26th. Apart from the performance of ‘Hymavathi Janayitri Vratam’ over a week, commencing from 19th, Lalitha Koti Namarchana was done on the 26th by all the inmates of the institution including the students there and those who gathered there for the occasion. A separate report on these celebrations appears in the pages of this issue.