VIJAYAWADA: Unlike the minor hiccups in arrangements on the first day of Dasara celebrations, Monday witnessed the smooth and hassle-free proceedings for the devotees visiting the Sri Durga Malleswara Swamy Varla Devasthanam or popularly known as Kanaka Durga temple atop Indrakeeladri.After reviewing the preparations, temple executive officer MV Suresh Babu and city Commissioner of Police (CP) Ch Dwaraka Tirumala Rao admitted there was confusion and lack of coordination between the departments on Sunday as devotees thronged the temple in huge numbers.
“We identified lapses in the preparations and rectified it. Only special darsanam ticket holders will be allowed in the queue line. Yesterday (on Sunday), many pilgrims without purchasing the tickets entered the Rs 300 ticket queue line. This created confusion and problems in controlling the crowd,” the officials said.
Stating that around 1.2 lakh devotees had the deity’s darshan on the first day of Dasara, the officials said the turnout at the temple till Monday afternoon was low, and expressed confidence that families would throng during the evening and night hours.
Meanwhile, following complaints from devotees about the laddu and pulihora prasadam being prepared in unhygeinic conditions, Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) officials raided the kitchen where they were being made in the afternoon.
The raiding team noticed that workers were not wearing hand gloves, head masks and maintained low sanitation. “We are going to deploy a team of FSSAI officials here at the temple to take stock of the situation every four hours,” the officials added.
Goddess to take Sri Gayatri Devi avatar
On the third day of Dasara festivities, the presiding deity atop Indrakeeladri will take the Sri Gayatri Devi avatar. The goddess, with her magical powers, will be seated in a lotus with pancha mukhi (five faces) representing five pranas: prana, apana, vyana, udana and samana