Indrakeeladri in Vijayawada witnesses huge rush on second day of Dasara festival

Devotees waiting in queue lines for darshan at Kanaka Durga temple in Vijayawada on Friday.
| Photo Credit: G.N. RAO

The second day of Dasara festivities atop Indrakeeladri, the abode of Goddess Kanaka Durga, on October 4 (Friday) saw a huge rush of devotees. More than 60,000 devotees turned up at Sri Durga Malleswara Swamyvarla Devasthanam by the evening. The footfalls may cross the 70,000-mark by night, said the Kanaka Durga temple officials. 

Sri Durga Malleswara Swamyvarla Devasthanam Executive Officer K.S.  Rama Rao said that the temple generated a revenue of ₹38,22,465 from the sale of ₹500, ₹300 and ₹100 darshan tickets, laddu prasadam, Kumkum Archana, Sri Chakra Navaarchana tickets. The presiding deity was adorned with the Gayatri Devi alankaram on the second day of the festival, he said.

Goddess Kanaka Durga in Gayatri Devi alankaram atop Indrakeeladri on the second day of Dasara festival on Friday.
| Photo Credit:
G.N. RAO

The priests adorned the deity with Sri Gayatri Devi alankaram. Goddess Gayatri Devi protects the devotees who chant the maha-mantra and blesses them with food, wealth, worldly pleasures, good offspring and salvation. Gayatri Devi is the whole and sole cause of ‘Srishti’ (creation), its ‘Sthithi’ (well-being) and ‘Laya’ (destruction), said the temple priests.     

The temple officials said that sale of darshan tickets alone fetched more than ₹21 lakh. Another ₹10.06 lakh was generated from the sale of laddus. 

Excise Minister Kollu Ravindra was among the dignitaries who had darshan at teh temple. Mr. Ravindra inspected the darshan queue lines and interacted with the devotees.  Addressing the media later, he appreciated the temple officials for making good arrangements for the devotees. He praised the students distributing drinking water to the devotees.

The temple officials said that hot milk was provided to the devotees who visited the temple with children. They urged the senior citizens and physically challenged devotees to visit the temple during the slot allotted for them.