The annual ‘Gangamma Jatara’ in Tirupati ended with frenzy and ecstasy in the early hours of Wednesday, while it came to a grand close on Wednesday night in Chittoor.

In Tirupati, devotees dressed up in a variety of novel costumes and guises representing mythological characters and started thronging the Thathayagunta Gangamma temple right from late Tuesday evening to offer prayers.

The entire temple premises represented a village fair, with colourful lighting, pandals to insulate the bare-footed devotees from the sun-baked roads and scores of street vendors selling sundries and novelties.

A huge clay idol of Gangamma, coated with coal and kumkum, was installed at the temple entrance. The eyes were made to look squinted till the final ritual was conducted in the early morning. It is an ancient belief that the angry stare of the goddess, if focused on a single point, could burn the spot and create large-scale destruction, and hence the eyeballs were made to appear squinted.

The priests offered prayers to the idol in the presence of thousands of devotees and smashed it into several pieces, which were collected by the devout. The event signalled the end of the annual festival.

Meanwhile, in Chittoor the jatara came to close with thousands of devotees joining the final procession and the ceremonial immersion of Gangamma’s idol at Kattamanchi tank.

From the early hours, streets across Chittoor town were filled with devotees carrying offerings, breaking coconuts, and taking part in age-old rituals. The procession rolled through the arterial junctions to the sound of drum beats, folk songs, and devotional chants. Traditional dancers, local bands, and cultural groups moved along with the procession, drawing huge crowds

Deputy Superintendent of Police (Chittoor) J. Venkatanarayana supervised the bandobast with over 600 personnel deployed across the city to regulate traffic and manage the heavy rush of devotees. Civic workers continued sanitation work throughout the celebrations, while medical teams remained on standby at key points. Several voluntary organisations and local leaders arranged ‘annadanam’ at Bazaar Street, Church Street, Doddialle, Santhapeta, Kongareddipalle, Obanapalle, and Estate areas.

The final day also brought good business for local traders. Food stalls, flower vendors, and toy sellers saw steady crowds during the last week, while devotees from Chittoor district and neighbouring Tamil Nadu and Karnataka gathered to witness the celebrations.