Goddess adorned with bangles at Kanaka Durga tempe in Vijayawada on Yama Dwitiya

Processional deity of goddess Kanaka Durga decked up with bangles atop Indrakeeladri in Vijayawada on Sunday.
| Photo Credit: K.V.S. GIRI

The presiding deity Goddess Kanaka Durga at Sri Durga Malleswara Swamyvarla Devasthanam was decked up with bangles on the occasion of Yama Dwitiya on Sunday.

Devotees at the Kanaka Durga temple in Vijayawada on Sunday.
| Photo Credit:
K.V.S. GIRI

The Kanaka Durga temple priests, referring to religious texts, said that Yama, the Hindu God of the death,  presented bangles, turmeric and vermilion to his sister Yami on Karthika suddha vidiya, a day in Telugu calendar.  Coinciding with the legend, the presiding deity has been spruced up with the bangles. More than five lakh bangles were used in decorating the deity and temple precincts. The bangles would be distributed to women visiting the temple,  they said. 

Karthika masam

Kanaka Durga temple Executive Officer K.S. Rama Rao said that more than 75,000 devotees visited the temple since 4 a.m.  The EO said that mahanyasa poorvaka ekadasa abhisheka, sahasra lingarchana, would be performed at Sivalayam atop Indrakeeladri on the occasion of Karthika masam from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. The devotees aspiring to participate in the abhisheka and lingarchana would have to pay ₹500. The devotees would have to pay ₹2,000 to participate in bilwarchana and ekadasa rudrabhishekam on Mondays during Karthika masam, Pournami and Ekadasi days, he said.