Vijayawada: The annual Gajula Mahotsavam, also know as the bangle festival, was celebrated with grandeur at the Kanaka Durga temple on Sunday. Thousands of colourful clay bangles adorned the temple premises, drawing devotees from across the region to witness this unique celebration of the bond among sibling and seek blessings for prosperity.
Gajula Mahotsavam is traditionally observed on Yama Dwitiya, a day that honours the affectionate bond between brothers and sisters. Shankara Sandilya, a Vedic committee member at the temple, explained the origin of this custom. “On Yama Dwitiya, lord Yama, the god of death, visited his sister’s home three days after Diwali. He partook in a meal prepared by her and blessed her with a long and prosperous life alongside her husband. This gesture of sibling affection is commemorated each year on this day,” he shared.
Sandilya added that the custom continues with brothers enjoying meals prepared by their sisters, symbolising blessings of long life and family unity. In line with this tradition, the temple was elaborately decorated with nearly 2 lakh bangles contributed by women from various parts of the state, expressing wishes for prosperity for all women. Several devotees volunteered to help decorate the temple, enhancing the festive atmosphere.
Special prayers were conducted by Vedic scholars on Sunday morning to inaugurate the festival. The sanctum sanctorum and the Maha Mandapam, where the festival idol was placed, were adorned entirely with bangles, captivating visitors.
Devotees arrived in large numbers from early morning to offer prayers. Temple executive officer KS Rama Rao oversaw measures and effectively managed heavy crowds and helped ease congestion in the queue lines, though an influx of VIP devotees led to some inconvenience for regular visitors. City police commissioner Rajsekhar Babu, along with his family, offered special prayers to the goddess on Sunday.
