VIJAYAWADA: The environs of Sri Kanaka Durga Temple atop Indrakeeladri came alive on Monday, with as many as 3,000 people from north Andhra districts thronging the premises for Bhavani Deeksha, on the 10th day of ongoing Dasara celebrations. The presiding deity of Goddess Kanaka Durga appeared in Mahishasura Mardini alankaram.
The pilgrims began reaching the city from the early hours of the day by tourist buses, lorries and cars. The stretch of the highway from Bhavanipuram to Krishnalanka turned into a temporary shelter for the thousands of pilgrims. The devotees, after taking a holy dip in river Krishna, made a beeline for the temple since the early hours to have darshan of the goddess.
It was then time to put the coconuts and other puja material, contained in the Irumudis, in the homagundam set up at Mallikarjuna Maha Mandapam down the hill after performing Agni Pratishtapana. A large number of devotees were lined up in queues on the Canal Road, waiting for their turn to have darshan of the Goddess on the auspicious occasion.
Though foolproof arrangements were made for the conduct of Dasara festival at Indrakeeladri, the officials should have explored the possibilities of arranging separate queue line for devotees relinquishing Bhavani Deeksha, as a majority of the deeksha devotees face difficulties in reaching the hill in the normal queue lines, observed B Nancharamma, a devotee from Bobbili in Vizianagaram district.
“We are expecting nearly 10,000 devotees for deeksha relinquishment. The pilgrims generally do not prefer to relinquish their deeksha on Tuesdays and Fridays. Hence, the rush of devotees is expected to continue for the next few days, after the completion of Dasara festival,” informed temple executive officer A Surya Kumari. Darshan will be offered for the Bhavani deeksha devotees from 3 am to 11 pm.