Vizag celebrates Gangamma Jatara as thanksgiving for safety

The devotees started in a procession from Waltair Depot and reached the beach, where women from the fisherfolk community poured sacred offerings of water mixed with milk and turmeric into the sea, praying for continued protection from calamities.

The belief is that it is Goddess Gangamma who protected the city when the devastating tsunami struck other coastal cities in December 2024, causing havoc. The tsunami claimed 105 lives across Andhra Pradesh, but spared Visakhapatnam from any casualties.
Sharing insights with Deccan Chronicle, Teddu Sankar Rao, a representative of the Fishermen Youth Welfare Association, said, “Gangamma saved us without harming a single life. It has been 20 years today,” highlighting the community’s deep-rooted belief in the Goddess’s protective powers.
Visakhapatnam East MLA Velagapudi Ramakrishna participated in this year’s celebrations, including special pujas on the seashore.
The tsunami of 2004 remains a poignant memory for many in the region. It struck unexpectedly at 9:05 a.m., unleashing waves averaging 4 metres in height, affecting 301 villages across AP, and leaving significant devastation in its wake.