The Srisailam temple announced the conduct of special pujas on the auspicious occasions of Guru Purnima and Sakambari Utsavam on July 29 (Wednesday).According to an official release, on the occasion of Guru Purnima, special pujas will be performed at 7:00 a.m. for Lord Dakshinamurthy and Sage Vyasa at the Akka Mahadevi - Hemareddy Mallamma shrine within the temple complex on Wednesday. The programme will commence with the recitation of the Sankalpam (ritual vow), followed by Maha Ganapathi Puja.Subsequently, ceremony involving sixteen ritual offerings will be performed to the portraits of Lord Dakshinamurthy and Sage Vyasa. Sage Vyasa was a divinely ordained being who divided the Vedas—originally a single body of knowledge—into four sections and bestowed them upon the world.His original name was Krishna Dvaipayana, but he became renowned as Veda Vyasa because he classified the Vedas into four parts. For the sake of common people who could not grasp the profound essence of the Vedas (which are composed in the form of mantras), Sage Vyasa authored the ‘Mahabharata’; consequently, the ‘Mahabharata’ came to be known as the ‘Panchama Veda’ (the Fifth Veda).Meanwhile, elaborate arrangements have also been made for the Sakambari Utsavam dedicated to Goddess Sri Bhramaramba Devi, to be held on Wednesday on the occasion of Ashadha Purnima. Over 3,000kg of vegetables, approximately 100 pumpkins, over 2,000 lemons, various bundles of leafy greens, and a variety of fruits have been procured. Vegetable decorations are offered to the processional deity, the idol of Goddess Rajarajeshwari within the temple complex, and the village deity, Goddess Ankalamma. Scriptures state that worshipping the Goddess with vegetables in this manner helps avert excessive rains and droughts, ensures timely and adequate rainfall, leads to bountiful harvests, and prevents famine. Published - July 28, 2026 09:18 pm IST