VIJAYAWADA: All set for the annual Dasara festivities at Sri Durga Malleswara Swamy Varla Devasthanam (SDMSD) atop Indrakeeladri in Vijayawada from Monday. Elaborate arrangements have been made for the grand celebrations at Kanaka Durga temple.The festivities will begin with traditional rituals and conclude on October 5 with the celestial boat ride of Goddess Kanaka Durga and Lord Malleswara Swamy in river Krishna.
Devotees will be allowed for darshan from 9 am to 10 pm on the first day and the temple will be thrown open for devotees from 4 am to 11 pm except on October 2 when Kanaka Durga will be adorned as Sri Saraswati Devi on the occasion of Moolanakshatram.
Speaking to TNIE, Deputy Chief Minister and Endowments Minister Kottu Satyanarayana said most of the works for the mega fete such as laying queue lines from Canal road stretch and temporary shelters for devotees were completed to provide a hassle-free darshan. Over 10 lakh devotees from various places are expected to visit the temple during the festivities, he said.
“Dasara has been a simple affair over the last two years due to the Covid-19 pandemic and safety restrictions. With the lifting of restrictions, we have planned to make the festival a grand celebration this year,” the Deputy CM said.He further stated that utmost care was taken while laying queue lines, temporary sheds, bathing ghats, water supply points, tonsuring hall, toilets and kitchen to prepare laddu prasadam.
Separate queue lines have been arranged for Rs 300 and Rs 100 darshan ticket holders and VIPs in order to decrease the average darshanam time. “Though we initially planned to divert all VIPs via Mallikarjuna Mahamandapam, we dropped the idea as it would create problems on ground. To avoid that, we came up with a new idea to form another queue lines dedicated to VIPs and other guests. This additional queue line will not disturb the other three queue lines,” Kottu Satyanarayana stated.
The presiding deity will be decorated as Swarna Kavachalankrita Durga Devi on the first day of the festival on Ashwayuja Suddha Padyami as per the Telugu almanac. On the second day, Kanaka Durga will be decorated as Bala Tripura Sundari, Gayatri Devi on September 28, Annapoorna Devi on September 29 and Sri Lalitha Tripura Sundari on September 30.
The deity will be decorated as Sri Maha Lakshmi on October 1, Sri Sarswati Devi on October 2, Sri Durga Devi on October 3, Sri Mahishasura Mardhini on October 4 and Sri Raja Rajeswari Devi on October 5.
“Governor Biswa Bhusan Harichandan will offer special prayers on the first day of festivities, while Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy will visit the temple on October 2 on auspicious Moolanakshatram and present traditional clothes on behalf of the State government,” the Endowments Minister said.
As a part of rituals ahead of Dasara festivities, Vijayawada Commissioner of Police Kanthi Rana Tata along with his wife offered traditional clothes to Kanaka Durga. “It has been a tradition that One-Town police present silk robes and other offerings to Kanaka Durga after performing puja to a tree on the premises of the police station,” Kanthi Rana Tata said.
In order to reduce traffic congestions and give free way to devotees, traffic police have imposed diversions during the festivities and additional force were being deployed for safety arrangements. The Vijayawada CP said 12 parking places were arranged for devotees at various places and traffic restrictions will come into force from September 25.