Sirimanu Panduga is a festival organized to favour the Goddess Pyddithallamma of Vizianagram Town. Siri means “goddess Lakshmi in other words wealth and prosperity” and manu means “trunk” or “log”. The temple priest, while conducting a procession between the fort and the temple three times a night, hangs himself from the end of a long, thin wooden staff (measuring 60 feet), raised towards the sky. The priest possessed by the goddess would say himself a few days before, where this manu would be available. It is from that place that you only have to acquire the log. Hanging from the upper end of the stuff, which rises to the sky, is a very risky exercise, but it is believed that the grace of the Goddess protects the priest from falling. It takes place in the month of September or October (Dasara) of each year.
It is a great carnival attended by two to three lakhs of people from the neighbouring towns and villages. The Rajas of Vizianagaram oversee the arrangements for this event. The APSRTC operates around 250 buses from different parts of the state to facilitate the transportation of devotees to Vizianagram to attend this festival.
History
At that time Bobbili Maharajas ruled with full power. There are some differences between Bobbili Maharajas and Vizianagaram Rajas regarding power. Due to these differences and some reasons, the Battle of Bobbili began on January 23, 1757. During the battle, the entire Bobbili fort was destroyed and many Bobbili soldiers died in the battle.
Vijaya Rama Raju’s wife and Sister Sri Pydimamba tried to stop the battle upon hearing the news, but were unsuccessful. By then Sri Pydimamba, Vijayaramaraju’s sister, was suffering from Masuchi’s disease. While at the Goddess puja, she learned that Vijayaramaraju is in trouble. She wanted to inform her brother about this and tried to get the message across through the Vizianagaram soldiers, but they were all in the battle. So She started with Patiwada Appalanaidu to convey the message in a horse cart. But, when she arrived, she received the news that her brother Vijaya Rama Raju died at the hands of TandraPapaRayudu. She fell unconscious.
Patiwada Applanaidu sprinkled water on her face and she returned to the conscious stage and told Appalanaidu that she did not want to live anymore. Then she absorbed her soul into Goddess. Her statue was found on the western shore of Pedda Cheruvu (a pond located in the heart of Vizianagaram is located on the western side of the Vizianagaram fortress). Fishermen found the idol of Pydimamba and built a temple called “Vanam Gudi” for the goddess, at Vizianagaram train station, which was the first temple in Pydimamba, the second temple is located at the crossroads of three lanterns.
Transport
By Road:
APSRTC provides number of Buses to Vizianagaram.
1. Sri Pydithalli Ammavari Chadurugudi is 3.1KM away from Vizianagaram bus station,
2. Sri Pydithalli ammavari Vanamgudi is 1Km away from Vizianagaram bus station,
By Train:
The nearest Railway Station is Vizianagaram Station,
1.Chadurugudi is 2.7Km away from railway station
2. Vanamgudi is 100metres away from railway station
By Air:
The nearest Airport is at Visakhapatnam.