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| Tirupati Ganga Jatara | |
|---|---|
| Observed by | Hindus inTirupati district and surrounding areas |
| Type | Hindu, cultural |
| Celebrations | Veshas, Animal sacrifices, offering Pongal, Ambali, Sarees, Sapparalu |
| Begins | First Tuesday of Vaisaka masam |
| Ends | Second Tuesday of Vaisaka masam |
| Date | Varies per HinduLunisolar calendar |
| Tirupati Ganga Jatara | |
|---|---|
 Tirupati gangamma Temple during fifth day of annual Tirupati gangamma jatara | |
| Religion | |
| Affiliation | Hinduism |
| District | Tirupati |
| Deity | Gangamma |
| Location | |
| Location | TATA Nagar,Tirupati |
| State |  Andhra Pradesh |
| Country |  India |
 Interactive map of Tirupati Ganga Jatara | |
| Coordinates | 13°39′N79°25′E / 13.65°N 79.42°E /13.65; 79.42 |
Tirupati Gangamma Jatara is the annualfolk festival ofTirupati,India.[1] It is a week long event which falls between the first and second weeks of May every year. This festival is to offerprayers to theGoddess Gangamma, theGramadevata (the goddess protecting the region) of Tirupati. The Goddess Gangamma is considered the sister of GodVenkateshwara Balaji, the presiding deity of theVenkateshwara Temple, located in Tirupati, Andhra Pradesh.
Thisfolk festival is celebrated grandly at the Tirupati city famous temple of Goddess Gangamma (sister of lord Venkateshwara) called Tataiahgunta Gangamma Temple located on the east side ofTirupati city .
Sri Tataiahgunta Gangamma is Grama Devatha of Tirupati city. Once upon a time when Tirupati and surrounding areas were ruled by Palegondulu, harassment of women was enormous – they used torape and harass any woman seen. During this time, in a village "Avilala", the Goddess Gangamma was born and grew into a beautiful woman. When the Palegondulu wanted to harm Goddess Gangamma, she with her grace and power was about to kill him. Palegondulu, fearing her, hid in a remote place.
To take him out of hiding, the Gangamma planned "Ganga Jathara" where the people in Tirupathi do vichitra veshadarana and curse Gangamma for a period of 7 days. On the seventh day, the Palegondulu comes out of hiding and was killed by Goddess Gangamma for the LokaKalyanam (well being of all people).
Ganga Jatara, the folk festival of Tirupati, begins with the formalChatimpu (announcement) around midnight of Tuesday. The Gangamma Jatara is held by the viswakarma Mirasi Achari family – Eepuri Devarjuluachari and Kasi shankara Achari take charge of Jatara festival and make all arrangements.
The Gangamma Jatara is a very famous local festival for the people of Tirupati. It is done every year in May. As the Gangamma temple was in the banks of Thathaya gunta, the temple is famously known as "Tataiahgunta Gangamma Temple".
Priests performed the initiatory rituals and tied `Vadibalu' to the `Viswaroopa Sthambam' in front of the temple, that set the stage for thefete. Men making theChatimpu roam through the old town beatingdappus to announce that the festival has begun and hence the residents should not leave the town till the festival is over.
Priests make the traditional huge clay idol of the goddess at the temple's portico. Everyone during the festival comes and prays to the goddess to offer her pongal, sarees,turmeric andkumkum, etc.
During the last day of festival, theportico will be smashed it into pieces at the auspicious moment. Devotees then clamour around to get theclay smithereens, which they consider as sacred, to be either preserved in the ‘Puja' room or consumed by mixing it in water. Though there is a ban on animal sacrifice,goats andfowls were chopped at will at a corner of the temple.
This festival is being celebrated on 13, 14 and 15 May every year, in most of the areas in undivided chittoor district (likeTirupati,Chittoor andPalamaner etc.),Andhra Pradesh,India.
The Jatara (Folk Festival) officially begins with Chatimpu (official announcement) during midnight of 2nd Tuesday of the month of May. Traditionally town folk stay away from streets during Chatimpu. This announcement is carried out by playing musical instruments known as Dappu.
The day after chatimpu is Bhairagi Vesham. On this day, (Wednesday) people used to smear their body with white color paste (Namam Kommu) and wear agarland made of "Rella kaya" (fruit). They will holdneem leaves with the hand and also tie their waist with neem leaves. Devotees will walk to the temple through the city and will leave those neem leaves and Rella Kaya graland there at the temple after the darshan of the Goddess. Devotees will do such procession on each day for the rest of the festival duration.
On this day devotees used to smear their body withkumkum color paste and ties a ribbon to the head.
On this day devotees used to smear their body withcharcoal and wears a garland made out of neem leaves.
On this day devotees used to smear their body with sandal paste (Chandanam) and wears a garland made out of neem leaves and lemons.
Gangamma who killed Palegadu in Dhora Vesham, consoled Chieftain's wife in Mathangi Vesham.
On the sixth day of the festival, the devotees anoint their body with white paste and apply dots with charcoal. And carries a pot (Veyyi kalla Dutta) on their head. Upon reaching the temple the devotees goes around the temple three times carrying the pot on their head. Leaves the pot there in the temple after the 3rd round and go for the goddess Darshan.
The last day of the festival is celebrated as Ganga Jatara. During this day, all Gangamma temples in Tirupati are flocked with lakhs of devotees. People used to visit the temple and offer "pongallu" and/or Sarees to Gangamma. Few Devotees used to have darshan of Gangamma by wearing "Sapparalu" (A special gopuram like object made ofbamboo) along with "Dappu Vaidyam" (Amusical instrument). "Ragi Ambali" is served to the devotees visiting temples all over the city.
After midnight, a clay idol of Gangamma (Viswaroopam) is installed in front of the Temple. A guy will dress up like "Perantallu" and will remove the chempa (cheek) of viswaroopam which is referred to as "Chempa Tholagimpu". The clay is later distributed to the Devotees who are believed to have curing powers. By this event the entire seven-day Jatara will come to an end.
Devotees offer the goddessgoats andhens.
Women preparepongal (a dish prepared withrice,mung beans andsugar) in the temple and offer it to the goddess.
Similarly, there is another practice for women to come on their knees from their homes to the temple. First, they roll acoconut on the road and then walk on their knees up to the point, pick up the coconut and roll it again. These practices bear testimony to the strong faith the native residents of Tirupati have in the goddess.
‘Ragi Ambali', a drink made ofragi,curd andrice, is offered to the goddess and is then distributed to the devotees.[2]
In the moviePushpa 2: The Rule heroAllu Arjun dresses in Mathangi Vesham.[3]
