Goddess Sri Annapurna Devi is worshipped as the goddess of fourth day, Aswijyuja suddha tadiya, and one of the manifestations of Durga during Dasara celebrations at Indrakeelari.
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; and, 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.
The priests, with this alankaram, convey the message to devotees that Lord Siva Himself begged Her some food, and made Himself free from starvation; one should seek Her blessings and give him or her ‘anna’ without which there is no living creature. The only one mother who feeds all the creatures is Sri Annapoorna Devi.
Feeling hungry is symbolic to one’s hunger for jnana (knowledge). She is the one who quenches the hunger, which is, in a way, symbolic to ‘jnana’; the devotees, hence, praise Her saying: ‘Jnana vairagya sidhyartham biksham dehi cha Parvathi’—merciful goddess, give me food for the ‘jnana’(knowledge) and vairagya (stoic, renunciation of worldly desires). Poojas are performed and different kinds of eatables are offered to the goddess as naivedyam.
