VIJAYAWADA: Sri Durga Malleswara Swamy Varla Devasthanams (SDMSD) atop Indrakeeladri was decorated with one crore colourful bangles to mark Karthika Suddha Vidihya on Tuesday.
The presiding deity Kanaka Durga in the sanctum sanctorum and other deities at Mallikharjuna Maha Mandapam were also decorated with the bangles offered by devotees.
Speaking on the occasion, temple executive officer (EO) MV Suresh Babu said that an organisation named Aparajitha Association, donated 30,000 bangles for the goddess’s adornment and decorated the temple premises with around one crore bangles.
Suresh Babu also said the tradition of decorating the goddess and temple with bangles was started three years ago as devotees expressed their willingness to offer bangles to the deity.
“In the first year, we celebrated the occasion with only five lakh bangles. However, with the passage of time we noticed more devotees showing interest in seeing the temple and deity decorated with bangles. To mark Karthika Masam, we decided to conduct these type of events.”
According to officials, as many as 30,000 devotees visited the temple and bangles were given as prasadam to devotees.