Andhra Pradesh government declares Ratha Saptami as State festival

Fri Dec 20 05:47:41 UTC 2024: ## Andhra Pradesh Declares Ratha Saptami a Three-Day State Festival

**Amaravati, Andhra Pradesh –** The Andhra Pradesh government has declared Ratha Saptami, a significant Hindu festival celebrated at the Sri Suryanarayana Swamy Temple in Arasavalli, as a three-day state festival. The decision, announced Thursday, follows a proposal from the Endowments Commissioner citing the temple’s substantial annual income of ₹11.26 crore and its widespread popularity among devotees from Andhra Pradesh, Odisha, and Telangana. The festival, which falls on February 4th, 2025, will be self-funded due to the temple’s robust financial position, eliminating the need for government subsidies. The official order, G.O. M.S. No. 291, was issued by S. Satyanarayana, Secretary of the Endowments Department.