Kurnool : The month of Shravana which is considered to be auspicious is no same for the devotees who seek the blessing Lord Venkateswara in Kondaarayuludi temple. The scorpion festival celebrated on the third Monday of Month of Shravana witnesses a strange custom. Devotees from all across the state gather up in Kodumuru near Kurnool district to offer live scorpions to the Lord as the as “Naivedyam” in this 60-year-old festival.
Lord Venkateswara, worshipped as Kodandarayudu on the hillocks of Kodumuru town is said to be fond of scorpions. Devotees reach by the early hours of the day and catch scorpions beneath the rocks of the hillocks. They then make the darshan climbing the hillock barefoot and offer these scorpions in the main sanctum of the temple. Some even offer a garland made with these arachnids . Scorpions which are generally considered to be venomous does no harm to people on this particular day as stated by the devotees.
Manohar Reddy, the President for festival management committee informed that around 15,000 devotees across the Telugu states and Karnataka have sought the Lord’s blessings this year. Lord Venkateswara here is noted for fulfilment the wishes of the people who seek his blessing especially the childless couples
