The Hindu New Year has started the celebrations could be seen all across the nation. People are visiting temples to offer prayers to their holy deity so that they could have a great year ahead. Meanwhile, something distinctive was seen in the Sri Venkateswara temple in Kadapa town on the eve of the Telugu New Year, Ugadi. People from the Muslim community were also seen standing outside the temple who came to seek blessings from Lord Venkateswara.
The Sri Venkateswara temple is situated 120 km from Tirupati where the Muslims often come to worship. They believe that Lord Balaji married a Muslim girl known as Bibi Nancharamma in 1311 AD who was the daughter of a general Malik Kafur.
Since then, the Muslims of this region treat Lord Venkateswara as their son-in-law.
The Muslim pilgrims offer a special dish made of jaggery and sugarcane to the deity. The devotees take bath and they don’t touch any non-vegetarian eatable on the day of temple visit.
As per the reports of local media, the people believe in maintaining the age-old tradition. A devotee was quoted saying,”It’s nothing about Hindu or Muslim. It’s only about maintaining a tradition that we have received from our forefathers. This is done every year, and will be continued to do it.”
The priests also believe that the Muslims who visit here and pray will be blessed by the almighty with peace and prosperity for the year ahead. This tradition is active in the Rayalaseema region, and many Muslims from Chittoor, Kurnool and Anantapur district also visit the temple.
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