Kumkum puja marks day 5 of Brahmotsav at Sidhgora Balaji Temple

Jamshedpur: The fifth day of Brahmotsav at Sidhgora Balaji Temple was marked by the sacred Japaam of Shri Varahi Shyamala Mool Mantra. During the ritual, priests recited mantras following Telugu traditions, incorporating the name, place of birth, gotra, and date of birth of each devotee. The chanting was performed with full religious fervor, believed to offer protection from evil influences, accidents, and black magic while granting courage, wealth, social status, and victory over adversaries.

Later in the evening, a Kumkum Puja was conducted, attended by 203 women. During the ceremony, priests performed the ritual by addressing each participant by name and gotra. Speaking on the occasion, Temple Chairman Kamala Sharma emphasized the cultural and social significance of Kumkum Puja. “This is a traditional ceremony where married women apply turmeric-kumkum to one another, praying for the long life of their husbands. It symbolizes unity, cultural pride, and strengthens the bond between spouses,” she said.

The event saw the active participation of several devotees, including Padma, Bhanu, Soni, Sadhana, Ramadevi, Parvati, Uma, Aruna, Lata, Durga, Nutan, Pramila, and many others. Among the men, Prabhakar Rao, D. Ramu, Ravi Ramachandran, Mukund Rao, Prasad Rao, Narasimha Rao, and Santosh Rao contributed to the success of the Puja. (W-mb)