VIZIANAGARAM: Nearly 30 carpenters are busy chiselling the Sirimanu of goddess Pydithalli for the grand Sirimanotsavam in the town on October 3. The Sirimanu, which is fixed to a chariot, is positioned in a standing position from the bottom of the chariot.The legend is that the temple priest finds a tree in his dream and tells the temple management to use the tree for Sirimanu. The goddess comes into his dream and suggests the location of the tree. This time, temple priest Bantupalli Venkata Rao , in his dream on September 9, found a tamarind tree at Reddikapeta village in Denkada mandal. The district administration assigned the forest department to take care of the process of procuring the tree from the village.Speaking to TOI, district forest officer G Lakshman said they found the tree in the agriculture fields of one Bettu Pentayya Reddy . With a prior approval from the farmer, the team went to his field and declared that the tree would be used for the Sirimanu. With the help of carpenters and forest guards, the tree was chopped after performing rituals. The log was brought to the house of Venkata Rao at Hukumpeta in Vizianagaram where the carpenters shaped it as Sirimanu. The priest said the chiselling of the tree trunk into a Sirimanu shaft was nearing completion. Over one lakh devotees are set to throng the town to witness the spectacle. Devout from nearby districts and Odisha also visit the area for the big festival."A 55-feet height Sirimanu is being readied for Sirimanotsavam, which will begin at 3 pm and end at 5 pm on Tuesday. I will sit on top of the Sirimanu for the first time," said 35-year-old Rao. The festival, which has a long history of 250 years, was first helmed by Pathiwada Appalanaidu . The priest, during the procession of the Sirimanu from Vizianagaram fort and the temple three times, hangs from the top tip of the Sirimanu. "Hanging from the upper end of the 55-ft tall Sirimanu is a risky affair, but the grace of the goddess saves us from falling," Rao explained.

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