VIJAYAWADA: Elaborate arrangements have been made by officials concerned to ensure hassle-free darshan for devotees at Goddess Kanaka Durga temple atop Indrakeeladri on Thursday, as Maharnavami and Vijayadasami fall on the same day.
On Wednesday, Executive Officer V Koteswaramma convened a meeting with District Collector B Lakshmikantham and Vijayawada Police Commissioner Ch Dwaraka Tirumala Rao at Model-Guest House here.
She reviewed the arrangements made to conduct Theppotsavam for the processional deities of Goddess Kanaka Durga and her consort Malleswara Swamy in Krishna river on Thursday evening.
In a statement issued here on Wednesday, Koteswaramma appealed to the devotees to “extend support by waiting patiently in the queue lines on Thursday during the change in alankaram of the Goddess”.
Expecting heavy devotee influx to the hill shrine on the auspicious day, the Sri Kanka Durga and Malleswara Swamy Varla Devasthanam have decided to do away with ‘Anthralaya’ darshan and ‘Ashirvachanam for devotees and they will be allowed for ‘Laghu’ darshan, she said.
Adding that the devotees will be allowed to have a darshan of Goddess Mahishasura Mardini from 1 am to 11 am on Thursday. She said darshan will be stopped for two hours between 11 am and 1 pm to offer Nivedhana to the goddess and adorn her as Sri Rajarajeswari Devi. From 1 pm onwards, the devotees will be allowed for darshan which will continue till 11 pm, Koteswaramma added.
Durga Ashtami celebrated
The rush of devotees continued unabated on the eighth day of ongoing Navratri festivities in Kanaka Durga temple on Wednesday The priests adorned the deity as ‘Sri Durga Devi’ on Durga Ashtami or Maha Ashtami. Right from wee hours of the day, pilgrims and Bhavani devotees continued to throng the hill shrine.
The VIP rush too was significant. Notable among them were Assembly Speaker Kodela Siva Prasad, principal secretary Anil Chandra Punetha, principal secretary (forest) G Ananta Ram, lyricist Anantha Sri Ram and others had darshan of the Goddess. As many as 100 scholars recited hymns from the Vedas at Mallikarjuna Maha Mandapam on the hill shrine. Later in the evening, Executive Officer V Koteswaramma felicitated the vedic priests on behalf of the devasthanam.