Devotees going to the Kanaka Durga temple to offer ‘bonam’ to the Goddess in Vijayawada.
| Photo Credit: G.N. Rao
Sri Durga Malleswara Swamyvarla Devasthanam, Indrakeeladri, has announced a schedule of special religious programmes throughout August 2025, marking the auspicious Sravanam month of the Sri Vishwavasu Nama Samvatsaram.
The temple authorities have made elaborate arrangements for key events including Pavitrotsavams from August 8 to 10, Varalakshmi Vratamon August 8, Samoohika Varalakshmi Vratam on August 22, and Sri Krishna Janmashtami celebrations, featuring the traditional “Utti Kottu” (pot-breaking ceremony) on August 16. The temple priests will conduct the Pavitrotsavams from August 8–10 with the traditional Trayahnika Deeksha to promote universal well-being and to atone for both known and unknown ritual lapses. Rituals including Udhaka Shanti, Ganapati Puja, Mandap Aradhana, Homas, and Vedaparayanam will be performed in the Yagasala. The three-day event will conclude with Poornahuti and other rites.
During these three days, all paid (Arjitha) services—both in-person and virtual—will be suspended. However, daily rituals for the main and sub-temple deities will continue in private, performed by temple priests.
On August 8, Varalakshmi Vratam will be observed in Ekantam (privately) by the temple priests. The presiding deity in the main temple will be adorned as Sri Varalakshmi Devi for the occasion. To enable women devotees to participate in the sacred ritual, a Samoohika Varalakshmi Vratam will be held on August 22, the fifth Friday of Sravanam, at the 6th floor of Sri Mallikharjuna Maha Mandapam in two batches. The first session, from 7 a.m. to 9 a.m., will be a paid service (₹1,500 per participant), while the second, from 10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m., will be conducted free of cost.
Applications for the free Vratam will be accepted from August 18 at the temple’s toll-free counter during working hours. Only one woman per application will be permitted. Participants will receive prasadam kits containing 150g kumkum, blouse piece, bangles, laddu, pulihora, poornam, and Shakti kankanam. Women performing the Vratam will be allowed darshan of the Goddess through a special queue.
On Sri Krishna Janmashtami, August 16, celebrations will begin at 8 a.m. with Sri Krishna Puja and Go Puja at Ashirvachana Mandapam. A religious discourse by temple scholars will be held from 5 p.m. to 6 p.m., followed by the vibrant Utti Kottu festivities from 6:30 p.m. onwards, near the 7th floor of the Sri Mallikharjuna Maha Mandapam, in front of the Rajagopuram.
Published – July 19, 2025 06:38 pm IST
