VIJAYAWADA: The first day of Shakambari Devi festival at the Kanaka Durga Temple on Wednesday saw many vegetables being removed from the decoration list due to the indefinite strike by lorry operators.
Due to a scarcity of the vegetables which are transported from the neighbouring States, the temple authorities decorated the entire sanctum sanctorum with, lady’s figure, brinjal, bitter gourd and lemons. In the previous years, carrots, tomatoes and potatoes were used to adorn the walls of the sanctum, giving them a colourful look.
Fruits and flowers were also used to decorate the temple premises and sanctum sanctorum. Mandapas were put up at different places to attract tourists. Devotees were allowed to have darshan of the goddess from 5 am to 10 pm and priests performed Vigneshwara Pooja, Akhanda Jyothi, Ankurarohana hymns and Vastu Homam in the sanctum sanctorum to mark the occasion.
Out of some 30,000 devotees who thronged the temple, several of them donated vegetables to it. Several devotees were seen taking away the vegetables that were used to adorn the deity even as announcements were repeatedly made by the temple authority in the public address system, telling people not to pluck vegetables. ‘If one devotee starts doing it, others will follow’, they announced.
Speaking on the occasion, temple executive officer M Padma said that ‘Shakambari Utsavam’ has been celebrated by the temple since 2007. The festival is celebrated annually in the Ashada month to propitiate the Goddess for abundant rains, good harvest and plentiful yield of vegetables. This year, the temple received around 12 tonnes of vegetables and fruits.
Lift services from Mallikharjuna Maha Mandapam to the hill will be made functional for the convenience of old and handicapped devotees. “We are expecting about 1.5 lakh devotees during the celebrations,” the EO said.
Scarcity
The three-day festival is observed from Ashadha Shukla Paksha Trayodashi to Purnima.
30 Tonnes Veggies supposed to be used
12 Tonnes Veggies actually used
5am-10pm Darshan timings
By 3pm, Friday Temple will be closed due to Lunar Eclipse
Puja Timeline
On July 26, from 8.30am to 11am, Chandi Saptashati Parayanam and from 4pm to 7pm, Rudra Homam, Mandapa Poojalu, Mantra Pushpam will be performed. On July 27, Santhi Poustika Homam will be performed at 8.30am.