VIJAYAWADA: A heavy rush was witnessed at the hill shrine of Indrakeeladri on Sunday, as large numbers of devotees thronged the temple of Goddess Kanaka Durga during consecutive holidays, the wedding season, and summer vacations. Darshan queues were crowded from the early hours, prompting temple authorities to implement crowd management measures.
The sale of Rs 500 darshan tickets was suspended from 10 am, while Antaralaya Darshan was halted due to the surge in footfall. Many devotees participated in Arjita Sevas, including Khadgamala Archana, Sri Chakra Navavarana Archana, Chandi Homam, and Laksha Kumkumarchana. Temple Executive Officer VK Seena Naik monitored the situation from the protocol office and reviewed arrangements. Special darshan facilities were provided for mothers with infants, elderly persons, and differently abled devotees through separate queues.
Volunteers under the temple administration distributed drinking water, buttermilk, and biscuit packets free of cost. Temporary shelters were set up to provide relief from the heat. As crowds swelled in the afternoon, vehicular movement on the ghat road was temporarily suspended.