Men don women’s attire to honour Gangamma in Tirupati’s ‘Ganga Jatara’

Gangamma Jatra is marked by vibrant festivities, with devotees dressing in diverse attire to honor the fierce act of Goddess Gangamma.

Transcript

00:00This isn't your regular festival. In Tirupati, men step out of women's attire to honor goddess

00:09Gangama, the fierce local deity worshipped at the Tatyaguntha Gangama Temple. This year,

00:14the week-long Gangama Jatra concluded on May 14. The festival drew thousands. A sea of devotees

00:19dressed in flamboyant costumes flooded the streets. Children joined too. Their bodies

00:24were painted with white paste called Namam Komu. Black dots made with charcoal covered their faces.

00:29They carried neem leaves in their hands, dyed them around their waist and wore garlands made of

00:33fresh flowers. Many wore long skirts and blouses. Some tucked jasmine flowers into their hair.

00:39Men dressed as women. Sarees, half-sarees, salwar-kabees. Bundles of flowers draped over

00:45their hair tufts. Lips stained with red lipstick. Nails painted. Anklets chimed as they walked in

00:51lady slippers. Some of them danced vigorously in full sarees. The roots of this tradition run steep.

00:57According to a legend, a local chieftain named Pale Garu had outraged the modesty of Gangama.

01:02Enraged, she vowed to destroy him. He ran and hid. But Gangama didn't stop. She roamed the streets in

01:09different disguises. On the ninth day, she found him and killed him. Devotees believe that by dressing

01:14in different guises, they honor her journey. They earn her blessings. Women follow their own sacred

01:20ritual. They carry pots filled with burning fire. These pots have thousands of holes and are balanced

01:25carefully on their heads. After offering prayers at the temple, they smashed the pots on the ground,

01:30shattering them into pieces. In 2025, people poured in not just from Tirupati but also from Nelor,

01:36Kadapa, Velor and Tiruvallur districts. Gangama was believed to be the sister of Lord Venkateshwara.

01:42So, the Tirumala Tirupati devasthanams followed an old custom. They sent a saree, turmeric bangles and other

01:49traditional items collectively known as saree as a symbolic birthday gift from a brother to his sister.

01:55To manage the massive crowds, police deployed heavy security. But the energy couldn't be contained.