VIJAYAWADA: SRI Durga Malleswara Swamy Varla Devasthanam atop Indrakeeladri is all set for the three day annual Shakambari Devi festival from Friday. Temple executive officer (EO) MV Suresh Babu on Thursday said the Shakambari festival is celebrated to propitiate Goddess for bountiful rains, abundant harvest and good yield of vegetables. Goddess Kanaka Durga will be adorned as Shakambari Devi and decorated with vegetables and fruits.
The Devasthanam will perform special pujas and rituals from 8 am on Friday. Rituals such as Vigneswara Puja, Punyavachanam, Akhanda Deeparadhana, Ankurarpanam, vastu homam, Kalasa Sthapana, Chandi Homam and Veda Patana will be performed. The festival is observed from Ashada Shukla Paksha Trayodashi to Purnima. On this occasion, the main premises of the temple as well as the sanctorum sanctorum will be decorated with vegetables and fruits. Special mandapams will be erected on the temple premises, Suresh Babu said.