Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao has invited his Andhra Pradesh counterpart, Chandrababu Naidu for Ayutha Maha Chandi Yagyam to be held for five days, starting December 23 (Press Trust of India photo)
For five days starting Wednesday, December 23, about 1,500 priests will chant mantras round the clock as Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao performs an
Ayutha Maha Chandi Yagyam, prayers to the Goddess Durga.
He has invited for what is meant to be a thanksgiving for the birth of Telangana and a prayer for its prosperity, President Pranab Mukherjee, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, a few Governors and several political leaders including the chief minister of neighbouring state Andhra Pradesh, Chandrababu Naidu.
The
Yagyam will be held at a farmhouse owned by Mr Rao, who is called KCR, in Erravelli of Medak district, about 80 kilometres from capital Hyderabad. About 150 cooks will prepare meals for more than 50,000 people over the five days of the ceremony.
KCR has made clear that he will foot the bill for the mega event, though he has roped in some private sponsors. The five-day ceremony is expected to cost over Rs 3 crore.
On Monday, the Telangana Chief Minister flew on a helicopter with his wife and a minister from Hyderabad to Vijaywada in Andhra Pradesh
to invite Chief Minister Naidu for the Yagyam. Mr Naidu hosted an elaborate lunch for KCR.
This was KCR's second visit to Andhra Pradesh in less than two months. He had, in October, put aside deep political differences and bitterness between him and Mr Naidu to
participate in the foundation stone ceremony for Amaravati, which will be the new capital of Andhra Pradesh.