Sirimanotsavam Declared State Festival with Government Funding for Vizianagaram Celebrations

Sirimanotsavam will be celebrated as a State festival, with the Andhra Pradesh government promising elaborate arrangements for the event expected to draw nearly two lakh devotees. On Monday, officials gathered at Jonnavalasa village in Vizianagaram district to offer prayers to the ‘Sirimanu’, a long trunk of a tamarind tree that will be cut and used for the ceremony. Present were Minister for Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises Kondapalli Srinivas, Vizianagaram MP Kalisetti Appala Naidu, and TDP MLA Aditi Vijaya Lakshmi Gajapathi Raju, along with other local leaders. The tradition selects one tree each year, chops it and treats it as the central symbol of the Sirimanotsavam. The minister announced that the festival will be treated as a State-level celebration and that the government will allocate funds for both Sirimanotsavam and the Vizianagaram utsavalu scheduled for October 25 and 26. The main festivities are set for October 27, when thousands of pilgrims will gather to witness rituals centred on the Sirimanu. The officials said the funding will cover arrangements such as crowd management, lighting and cultural programmes.

Context

State festivals in Andhra Pradesh receive special funding and administrative support to boost tourism and preserve local customs. The Sirimanotsavam, held annually in Vizianagaram, is a major cultural draw that showcases regional traditions and draws large numbers of devotees.