Marriage of Bhadrakali and Virabhadra Festival of Andhra Pradesh

Name of Festival : Marriage of Bhadrakali and Virabhadra

Major Territory of Celebration
This Festival is celebrated in Andhra Pradesh state of India

Time of celebration (Month)
It is celebrated for two days on the 13th and 14th days of the dark fortnight in the month of Magha (January – February).

Worship in Festival
People celebrate the marriage of Bhadrakali and Virabhadra and worship the Lord Virabhadraswami

About Festival :
In Khannan district of Andhra Pradesh has Bhadrakali and Virabhadraswami temple as a place of worship.People celebrated the marriage of Bhadrakali and Virabhadra It is celebrated for two days on the 13th and 14th days of the dark fortnight in the month of Magha.

On the morning Lord Virabhadraswami is taken to the river Godavari, which is 3 kilometers far from this place to the accompaniment of music and Abhishekam is performed with the holy waters and the idol is brought back to the temple.

Some measured rice is taken in new earthen pitcher and poured into a new pot before the image of the Lord , then it is covered with an earthen plate and is wrapped in a new cloth. The seal of the Lord is affixed on the knot of the cloth and the pot is kept to the left of the pedestal of the image. In the night pot is opened and the same person measures that rice again with the same pitcher, more rice is found, than what was measured into the pot in the morning.If the people found that rice in the pot has increased, the festival is celebrated considering it as a good omen.Then people enjoy the whole night. During the procession some devotees pierce their tongues or cheeks with marasalu, coconuts, jaggery, fruits and pumpkins are offered and some devotees take the bath Godavari and observe fasting and jagaranam