VIJAYAWADA: Vijayawada is all set to witness a rare and spiritually significant event as the three-day Maha Kumbhabhishekam will be organised at Sri Durga Malleswara Swamivarla Devasthanam atop Indrakeeladri will be held from March 6 to 8.
The grand ritual, performed once every 12 years, will culminate with the Kumbhabhishekam to temple’s golden gopuram using holy waters collected from 12 sacred rivers.
The three-day spiritual ceremony will begin on March 6 with traditional rituals and processions led by temple priests. At 7 am, the temple archaka team will carry sacred kalashas in a ceremonial procession from Kanaka durga Nagar to the temple. The programme will continue with Yagashala Pravesham and Ganapati Puja at 8 am, followed by the Ankurarpana ritual at 4 pm. The first day’s ceremonies will conclude with Mantrapushpam at 7 pm.
The highlight of the celebrations will be the Maha Kumbhabhishekam on March 8 at 9.34 am, when sacred waters from 12 holy rivers will be used for consecration of the temple’s golden tower.
It is expected that Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu and Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan are expected to attend the historic event on the last day of the festivities.
Ahead of the festival, temple authorities reviewed the arrangements on Thursday. Temple Executive Officer VK Seena Naik, along with Deputy Chief Priest Shandilya and other priests, ceremonially hoisted Hanuman flags on the temple’s Vimana Gopuram, marking an auspicious beginning to the Kumbhabhishekam preparations. Priests said the installation of the Hanuman flags symbolises protection and well-being of devotees visiting the temple.
Officials inspected the Vimana Gopuram works, the Mahamandapam on the fourth floor, and other engineering works under the temple’s master plan. Special focus has been placed on modernising queue lines, providing drinking water facilities, organising Annaprasadam and prasadam counters, and improving infrastructure such as ghat road connectivity.
Temple authorities announced that all Arjitha Sevas will remain cancelled until March 9, while Antaralaya darshan will be suspended until March 8 to facilitate rituals.
With elaborate preparations underway, the government and temple administration aim to conduct the once-in-twelve-years spiritual spectacle with devotion and grandeur.