VIJAYAWADA: About 1.2 lakh devotees had darshan of Goddess Kanaka Durga adorned as Annapurna Devi on the sixth day of the ongoing Dasara celebrations atop Indrakeeladri on Monday.
The turnout of devotees was high from early hours of the day and continued well into the night as they continued to wait in queue lines braving the rain which lashed the city for two to three hours. As per Hindu mythology, worshipping Durga in Annapurna Devi alankaram will never make Her devotees go without enough food. Several devotees also participated in the Special Kumkumarchana pooja at Mallikarjuna Maha Mandapam for the well being of their families.
Meanwhile, Bhavani devotees, who thronged the shrine from across the State, were dissatisfied with the temple authorities for not making arrangements for relinquishment of deeksha. Earlier this year, arrangements were made for Homagundam on Moola Nakashatram day, which had helped the Bhavani devotees to perform the relinquishment of deeksha ceremony in a hassle-free manner, he said. But this year there was no such movement from the temple authorities.
All India Bhavani Deeksha Sangham (AIBDS) president Lanka Trinag Ganesh Guru Bhavani said following the directions of Akhila Bharatha Bhavani Deeksha Guru Peetham and Department of Endowments, the Bhavani devotees relinquished deeksha at the temple.
“Several Bhavani devotees from Visakhapatnam and West Godavari districts came to Vijayawada to relinquish their deeksha during the Dasara at the shrine. But the temple authorities didn’t make satisfactory arrangements for ‘Homagundam’ for relinquishment of deeksha leaving the Bhavani devotees fuming,” Guru Bhavani said.
It may be noted that two years ago, the Kanaka Durga temple authorities and Bhavani Deeksha Guru Peetham members came to an understanding to perform the relinquishment of deeksha ceremony atop Indrakeeladri from Moola Nakashatram day, considering the crowd of Bhavani devotees at the temple during Dasara.
He said, “Executive Officer V Koteswaramma has directed the temple authorities to make arrangements for Special Deeksha on October 17 for Bhavani devotees.” He added, “There would have been chances of a stampede if the temple authorities failed to make the said arrangements.”
4.15 lakh throng temple on Moola Nakashtram day
Vijayawada: Around 4.15 lakh devotees had darshan of Goddess Kanaka Durga adorned in Saraswati alankaram on the auspicious ‘Moola Nakasthram’ day atop Indrakeeladri on Sunday, according to temple Executive Officer V Koteswaramma. Speaking to reporters at media point on the hill shrine on Monday, the officials are being instructed to make proper arrangements for the devotees on Durgashtami (Oct 17) and on Maharnavami and Vijayadasami (both falling on Oct 18), Koteswaramma added.