‘Chapparam’ marks final day of Gangamma Jatara

Devotees carrying ‘Chapparalu’ on their shoulders while walking to the Thathayagunta Gangamma temple, in Tirupati, on Tuesday. | Photo Credit: K.V. POORNACHANDRA KUMAR

For the last nine days, Tirupati has been reverberating with the devotional fervour of the ‘Gangamma Jatara’.

While the religious fervour in TTD-run temples is marked by the chanting of hymns from Vedic scriptures and Tamil chants from ‘Nalayira Divyaprabandham’, the fervour in this folk festival is a visual feast in nature, where the religious practices are based on folklore passed on from generations.

Gangamma is revered locally as the younger sister of Lord Venkateswara, and the practices during the nine days are religiously followed by the natives of Tirupati. From wearing different costumes to smearing colours all over the body, the practices are followed with great zeal.

Women follow the main ritual of carrying fire in a pot with thousand holes, which is carefully carried on the head and taken to the temple. After offering prayers at the shrine, the pot is smashed to the ground and broken into pieces.

The last day of the festival, on Tuesday, the devout carried the ‘Chapparam’, a piece of art work resembling a ‘Gopuram’. The Chapparam is carried by devotees all the way from their home to the temple. With shoulder as a support, the tower-like structure is tied tightly from the waist and carried. The practice marks the end of the period of abstinence observed by the devout.

Devotees also arrived at the temple by donning the guise of mythological characters like Venkateswara, Rama, Krishna, Kali, Arusa and others. Of late, several youth donned saris and came to the temple in typical Pushpa style.

Published - May 13, 2025 08:29 pm IST