VIJAYAWADA: Sri Durga Malleswara Swamyvarla Devasthanam is making elaborate arrangements for ‘Bhavani deeksha viramana’ from December 20.
Addressing a press conference here on Monday, devasthanam Executive Officer A. Sruya Kumari said that the temple was leaving no stone unturned to provide hassle-free darshan to the Bhavanis thronging the Indrakeeladri. The relinquishment of deeksha begins on December 20 and concludes on December 24. A little rush was expected on the first day of deeskha relinquishment as it was Tuesday. The devotees, generally, do not prefer to relinquish deeksha on Tuesdays and Fridays. So it was likely that there would be a spillover rush beyond December 24, she explained.
“The queue lines are being put up from Vinayaka temple on the Canal Road. The barricading will be from Vinayaka temple to toll gate of Indrakeeladri and beyond. The barricading will be done in Arjuna veedhi so that the devotees can climb down to offer the material which they carry in their irumudis at homagundams,” she said.
New prasadam
Ms. Surya Kumari said that the temple was introducing new prasadam, bangi, with more shelf life this year. The new prasadam would be in red colour representing the red robes which the devotees wear during deeksha, she said, adding, “The price is yet to be fixed. The devotees as well can buy bhavani prasadam or pancha kajjeyam - a mixture of cashew, kismis, sugarcandy etc. -which has more shelf life.”
The temple may not be able to supply as many laddus as demanded by the devotees during the relinquishment. The temple would have to prepare not less than 40 lakh laddus if each devotee purchased 10 laddus. So, each devotee would get two laddus. But, depending upon rush, the rule would be relaxed.
This year, there is a likelihood of a dip in the number of Bhavanis. The temple authorities attribute it to demonetisation.
