Muslims pray at Lord Venkateswara Temple on Ugadi

In an exemplary gesture of communal harmony, hundred of Muslim men, women and children offered prayers to Lord Venkateswara and Padmavathi Devi in the historic Lakshmi Venkateswara Swamy temple in the old city of Kadapa on the auspicious occasion of Ugadi.

Kadapa (Andhra Pradesh): In an exemplary gesture of communal harmony, hundred of Muslim men, women and children offered prayers to Lord Venkateswara and Padmavathi Devi in the historic Lakshmi Venkateswara Swamy temple in the old city on the auspicious occasion of Ugadi.

A large number of Muslim men, women and children waited in the lines, carrying puja offerings of flowers, jaggery, pieces of sugarcane, tamarind, coconuts. etc. They also accepted prasad and followed the religious practices as per the age-old traditions.

Muslims have been visiting the temple for many years, keeping with the age-old tradition of offering prayers to Lord Venkateswara every year on Ugadi. Muslims consider Lord Venkateswara as their son-in-law. They believe that Bibi Nancharamma, consort of Lord Venkateswara, is the daughter of a Muslim general and bring gifts.

According to the tradition, they clean houses, have bath and keep non-vegetarian diet away on Telugu New Year Day, before visiting Sri Lakshmi Venkateswara Swamy temple where they offer pooja to the presiding deities.

This age-old tradition is present and actively followed in the Rayalaseema region, and many Muslims from Chittoor, Kurnool and Anantapur district visit the temple.

In the era of loud debates on national television about religious intolerance, Kadapa provides an exemplary sight of communal harmony.