VIJAYAWADA: Indrakeeladri reverberated with chants of ‘Jai Kanaka Durga, Jai Bhavani’ as around one lakh devotees visited the Sri Durga Malleswara Swamy temple on Tuesday to have darshan of the presiding deity, Goddess Sri Kanaka Durga, on the third day of the ongoing Dasara Sharannavaratri festivities.
The Goddess appeared in the Sri Annapurna Devi alankaram, symbolising food, nourishment and compassion towards all living beings.
Devotees from various parts of Andhra Pradesh and neighbouring States began arriving at the hill shrine early in the morning, resulting in a heavy rush throughout the day. Long queues were seen as pilgrims waited for their turn to offer prayers and seek the blessings of the Goddess.
Temple officials and police personnel monitored the arrangements to regulate the crowds and ensure a smooth darshan for devotees.
The Sri Annapurna Devi alankaram highlights the spiritual significance of food and the importance of feeding the hungry.
According to Hindu tradition, Annapurna Devi is worshipped as the goddess of food and nourishment who sustains all living beings. The alankaram conveys the message that providing food to the hungry is one of the noblest forms of service. It also reminds people to help the needy and avoid wasting food.
As part of the Dasara celebrations, a team from the Dwaraka Tirumala temple visited Indrakeeladri on Tuesday afternoon and presented silk garments to the Goddess.
The team, led by Dwaraka Tirumala temple Executive Officer V Trinadha Rao, was received by the Indrakeeladri temple authorities. After the darshan, the visiting team received Vedic blessings, prasadam and a portrait of the Goddess.
Meanwhile, film director Boyapati Srinu visited the temple along with his family on Tuesday and offered prayers to Goddess Kanaka Durga. Following the darshan, Vedic scholars blessed him, while temple officials presented him with the Goddess’s sacred garments and prasadam.
No vehicles atop Indrakeeladri from 1 pm today
In view of President Droupadi Murmu’s visit to the Sri Kanaka Durga temple atop Indrakeeladri on Wednesday, the temple authorities have announced restrictions on vehicle movement and changes to protocol darshan timings as part of the security arrangements.
The President is expected to visit the temple in the evening, have darshan of the presiding deity and spend about half an hour on the hill. All vehicular movement up the hill will be completely stopped from 1 pm on Wednesday. Protocol darshans will not be permitted from the afternoon, while the 7.45 pm protocol darshan slot has been cancelled.
The morning protocol darshan window has been extended from 6 am to 9 am, instead of the earlier 6 am to 8 am schedule. Devotees and dignitaries holding evening protocol permissions have been asked to avail themselves of darshan during the revised morning timings. Temple authorities appealed to devotees to cooperate with the security arrangements and ensure the smooth conduct of the visit