The once verdant sprawling farmhouse spread over 120 acres, owned by Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao has turned into a mini township as the place gears up to host the much talked about “Ayutha Chandi Yagam”, the biggest religious ceremony of its kind.
A huge pandal made of bamboo and paddy straw is at the heart of this makeshift township under which the seer of Sringeri Math in neighbouring Karnataka will conduct the rituals involving 1500 pundits.
The five-day Yagam starting from Wednesday next will be held at the barricaded “Yagyashala” where the entry will be restricted to only those following strict religious code of conduct and wearing the Spartan pair of cloths like a Satvik or Sadhu.
The 40,000 square feet structure has 106 elevated fire pits around which the rituals will be conducted. Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao who took a team of media persons around the venue said that the rituals will be conducted every day from 7 am to 1230 pm with 1500 ritviks from 7 States chanting 700 Vedic hymns 10,000 times non-stop to propitiate goddess Chandi (Durga).
“The Yagam is for the well being of the entire state of Telangana so that everybody lives in peace. There is no vested interest in it”, KCR said
He revealed he had vowed in 2011 to organise such a Yagam on achieving the dream of separate Telangana State. “The idea came when a similar Yagam was organised at Sringeri Mutt on the occasion of its pontiff Bharati Tirtha”.
Throughly impressed by the expertise of the Mutt KCR enlisted its support in the organization of his own Yagam and personally visited Sringeri to invite the Pontiff to supervise the event
The facilities created at this farm house nearly 60 kms from Hyderabad include cottages for the stay of the pontiff and other important people apart from a dining hall for 10000 people and a parking lot for 25000 vehicles of the visitors.
A helipad for 5 choppers has also been created as host of VVIPs including the President Pranab Mukherji many Governors Chief Ministers and Governors were expected.
In all invites have been sent out to 40000 people including several Hindu religious and spiritual figures to attend Yagam. 10000 people can witness the Yagam from behind the barricades and nobody will be allowed even to touch the barricades for religious reasons.
Another 10000 people can watch the proceedings on screens in another hall.
The mega event was estimated to cost Rs7 crore. KCR said the expenditure was being born by him and from the donations of relatives and friends.