Yagam in the time of agrarian crisis!

Jaswinder Singh Baidwan

Akhran da mureed
Staff member
At a time when Telangana is reeling under agrarian crisis and continued suicides by debt-ridden farmers, Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao’s plan to perform a massive, five-day long ritual “Ayutha Chandi Yagam” at his farm house has raised several eyebrows in political circles.
Touted as the biggest Yagam ever performed by any state, the mega ritual, involving 1,500 ritviks (priests) from seven states chanting 700 Vedic hymns 10,000 times non-stop to propitiate Goddess Chandi (Durga), will be organised from December 23 to 27 at the sprawling farm house owned by the Chief Minister near Erravelli village in Medak district, about 60 km from here.
Ostensibly meant to seek divine blessings for peace and prosperity for all in the new state, the religious ceremony is expected to cost over Rs 6 crore. President Pranab Mukherjee, Governors ESL Narasimhan, Ch Vidyasagar Rao and K Rosaiah, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu and Union Minister M Venkaiah Naidu are among those who have already confirmed their attendance.
Elaborate arrangements are being made to host the mega event that is expected to be witnessed by over 40,000 guests. A massive pandal of bamboo and paddy straw, covering over 40,000 sq. ft, has been erected. It will accommodate 106 yagna kundas (fire pits).
A special helipad to park up to five helicopters, parking arrangements for 20,000 vehicles and a massive dining hall for feeding 10,000 people at a time are among the facilities being created at the 30-acre farm house. KCR, as the Chief Minister is known in political circles, has been personally supervising the arrangements during weekly review meetings with officials.
Known for his penchant for rituals and Vastu, KCR said the entire expenditure for Yagam would be met by him personally and through donations from relatives, friends and well-wishers. “During the statehood movement, I had vowed to perform the Ayutha Chandi Yagam once the separate Telangana state is formed. I am now fulfilling the vow. And, I am bearing the expenses from my pocket and not taking anything from the state,” the Chief Minister said.
However, not all are impressed with the idea. There is criticism in political circles that by involving the state agencies in the five-day long religious rituals the Chief Minister is displaying skewed priorities.
“KCR has time for Chandi Yagam but not for problems being faced by the poor. He has not called on the family of even one farmer who committed suicide in the State during the one and half year of TRS rule. This amounts to negligence,” the CPI General Secretary S Sudhakar Reddy said.
Art of Living guru Sri Sri Ravishankar will be present on the first day of the ritual while Pranab Mukherjee will participate on the concluding day.
A team of 150 cooks will prepare about 50,000 meals a day for the visitors, including the general public expected to attend the event. Every visitor will also receive prasadam. The main Yagashala where the actual rituals are held covers about 40,000 sq ft area.
 
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