Nellore: The district administration has made elaborate arrangements for the annual five-day Rottela Panduga to be held at the historic Bara Shahid Dargah in Nellore city from 26th 30th June.
The festival, attracts lakhs of devotees from across India and abroad, is expected to witness an estimated turnout of nearly 10 lakh pilgrims this year. Devotees from countries including Pakistan, Sri Lanka, China and the UAE are also expected to participate in the celebrations.
In view of preventing untoward incidents during five day event the police administration headed by Superientendent of Police Dr.Ajitha Vejendla deployed total 1600 cops in all capacities.
Explaining the significance of the festival, Dargah priest S.K. Amanullah said the celebrations will commence with ‘Shahadath’, during which special prayers will be offered in memory of the 12 Muslim warriors who are believed to have sacrificed their lives in a holy war in 1751.
On the second day, ‘Gandhamahotsavam’ (Sandal Festival) will be observed. A cleric from Kadapa will apply sandalwood paste to the 12 tombs of the martyrs, after which the sacred paste will be distributed among devotees.
The third day will feature ‘Jirayath’, a ceremony dedicated to praising the warriors and promoting communal harmony. The festival will conclude with ‘Thahaleel Fathea’, during which the tombs of the martyrs will be draped with green cloth as part of the final rituals.
The highlight of the festival takes place on the fifth day when devotees take a holy dip in the Swarnala Cheruvu (Nellore Tank) and exchange traditional breads known as ‘Rottelu’. Devotees believe that exchanging specific varieties of bread helps fulfill their wishes and prayers.
The Bara Shahid Dargah has evolved into one of the most revered pilgrimage centres in Andhra Pradesh. Devotees firmly believe that the blessings of the 12 martyrs help fulfill their wishes. Many return to the festival after their prayers are answered, offering bread in the holy tank as an expression of gratitude for others to receive.
According to the historians the 12 Muslim warriors from Bidar in present-day Karnataka were travelling after a pilgrimage to Mecca with a mission to promote Hindu-Muslim unity. In 1751, they were confronted by forces led by Chola ruler Valaja near Gandavaram village in Kodavaluru mandal of present-day Nellore district and were beheaded in battle.Despite beheaded, the warriors continued riding their horses for nearly 25 kilometres before collapsing at present-day Dargamitta in Nellore city.
The following day, they reportedly appeared in the dream of a Muslim priest and instructed him to construct tombs at the site where their bodies lay. Since then, the area came to be known as Dargamitta and the martyrs have been revered by devotees of all faiths.
With heavy crowds expected during the festival, the district administration is coordinating efforts across multiple departments to ensure smooth conduct of the event. Municipal Administration and Urban Development Minister Ponguru Narayana, and Nellore Rural MLA Kotamreddy Sridhareddy, District Collector Himanshu Shukla Reddy recently held series review meetings with officials from the Revenue, Municipal Administration, Police, Electricity and APSRTC departments and directed them to take all necessary measures for the successful conduct of the mega religious event.
