Vijayawada: A sea of devotees thronged the Sri Kanaka Durga Temple atop Indrakeeladri on Sunday as part of the annual Ashada Saare offering. Thousands of women, in colourful groups and processions, reached the temple with traditional offerings — silk sarees, bangles, flowers, fruits, and pongal — symbolically treating Goddess Kanaka Durga as their daughter.The temple premises were packed from early morning, and special arrangements were made to handle the heavy influx of devotees. Temple authorities cancelled VIP and Special Entry Darshans, ensuring only Lagu Darshan (fast-track darshan) was available for the public. Around eight special counters were set up across various locations to collect the saree offerings from devotees.Executive officer (EO) Seena Nayak personally oversaw arrangements, managing queues and directing volunteers across key areas. The EO also inspected the offerings of vegetables and fruits made by devotees ahead of the upcoming Shakambari festival, scheduled from July 8 to 10. He encouraged devotees to donate fresh produce for the decoration of the deity during the three-day celebration.To ensure smooth flow, the temple administration deployed staff along the lift routes, queue lines, and Ghat Road, which witnessed massive footfall. EO Nayak confirmed that protocol darshans were suspended from 11:30 a.m. to 2:00 p.m., prioritising regular devotees during peak hours. Adequate drinking water, free prasadam distribution, and Anna Prasadam were also arranged.In an effort to prevent overcharging, the EO said staff were deployed at cloakrooms, footwear storage, and coconut crushing counters. Congested areas were identified using CCTV surveillance, and temple staff were dispatched immediately to control crowd flow.
