VIJAYAWADA: Around 30,000 pilgrims visited the Sri Durga Malleswara Varla Devasthanam (SDMSD) atop Indrakeeladri on the second day of Dasara festivities on Monday.
The presiding deity Kanaka Durga was adorned in the avatar of Sri Gayatri Devi on the second day of Dasara festivities and the temple received a revenue of `25 lakh through the sale of darshan tickets and Laddu prasadam.
According to temple officials, more than 25,000 devotees visited the temple up to 5 pm in the evening. Later, there was a rush in the night hours with more devotees thronging the temple till the closing time of the temple.
The presiding deity Kanaka Durga was adorned in the avatar of Sri Gayatri Devi and was decorated with red and green sarees.
Temple head priest Vishnubhotla Siva Prasad Sharma said the Goddess Gayatri Devi is considered the Veda Mata, the mother of all Vedas. In this attire, Sri Gayatri Devi will be seen sitting on a lotus with ‘Pancha Mukhi’ (five faces) representing the pancha (five) pranas—prana, apana, vyana, udana, and samana —(five lives), five principles or elements - earth, water, air, fire, sky. Also, she is armed with a sword, bow and arrow and spear.
With more devotees complaining about the queue lines, deputy Chief Minister and minister for Endowments Kottu Satyanarayana and district Collector S Dilli Rao inspected the devotee movement in the queue lines and instructions were given to all police officers and temple staff to ensure hassle-free darshanam to common public. He further stated that more than 90,000 devotees had the darshanam of the Goddess Kanaka Durga adorned in the avatar of Sri Bala Tripura Sundari Devi. Providing a pleasant and hassle-free darshanam to common devotees is our top priority, Kottu Satyanarayana reiterated.
On the other hand, temple trust board chairman Karnati Rambabu and other trust board members monitored the proceedings ensuring no inconvenience caused to pilgrims.
Volunteers of various NGOs actively participated in the festival duties and played a major role in helping the senior citizens and differently-abled persons had their darshanam. As many as 60 students from various colleges under Red Cross society rendered their service by helping elderly people.
Deity to bless devotees in Annapurna avatar on October 17
In this attire, Goddess Kanaka Durga is decorated as Sri Annapurna Devi with a feeding bowl and spatula or ladle in her hands to serve food. Lord Siva stands at her doorstep urging her for food. Sri Annapurna Devi, who is presiding deity of ‘anna’ (food), in this attire, blesses her devotees with enough food. With this alankaram, the Goddess wants to convey to devotees the message that Lord Siva himself begged her for some food, and made himself free from starvation. The only mother who feeds all the creatures is Sri Annapoorna Devi. Hunger is symbolic to one’s need for Gnana.