AP govt turns to rain gods

The Endowment Department of the state government will hold Varuna Yagnam in all the temples which come under  its jurisdiction to appeal to rain god Varuna while Sahasra Ghattabhishekam will be performed in Siva temples across the state.
There are 1,100 temples under the department.

State’s largest and richest temple administrator Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanam too has begun Varuna Yagnam in all temples under its jurisdiction from Wednesday. It will also organise a Varuna Yagnam in Hyderabad next week. The other major temple of Srisailam has begun a three-day ritual of Varuna Japam from Tuesday.

Hopes were raised across the state when the south west monsoon hit the state on June 1, four days ahead of the scheduled date, but after the initial showers the state has not received rains.

 Even as sowing of paddy for the kharif season in the coastal districts that are known as “rice bowl” of the state has been delayed. 

Panic has spread in the government which is worried about the implications not just for the state economy but for its political fortunes too in the local elections that are looming ahead.

Chief Minister YSR takes pride in the fact that the state has had rains in plenty for all the five years of his previous terms. He in fact has jokingly said on many occasions that rain god Varun was his cabinet member. He believes that the good monsoon years are an indication of god’s benediction on his rule and that the TDP rule was not “auspicious” for the state since the TDP rule was marked by drought.

Meanwhile, the government may also take up cloud-seeding programme from July 15 should the rains elude further.