The newly-constituted Specified Committee of Sri Durga Malleswara Swamivarla Devasthanam that met in Hyderabad on Monday approved the appointment of noted vocalist Nedunuri Krishnamurthy, based at Visakhapatnam, as the Aasthana Vidwan of the temple.
It also decided to double the price of VIP ticket and increase the price of prasadam (bhogam) offered by the devotees to the goddess. Besides endorsing the Aarjita Sevalu (paid ceremonies) launched in the temple recently, such as Oonjal Seva, Gopooja and Swarna Pushparchana, the committee agreed to hike the fare of the bus service being operated by the devasthanam from the temple on Indrakeeladri to the railway station and Pandit Nehru Bus Station.
Briefing mediapersons on Tuesday about the decisions taken by the committee, Executive Officer N. Vijaya Kumar, who is also a member of the Specified Committee, said that the VIP ticket would henceforth be sold at Rs. 50 as against the current price of Rs. 25. The prices of ‘chakkera pongali' and ‘pulihora' that will be offered by the devotees to the goddess as ‘bhogam' have also been revised as Rs. 300 and Rs. 80, respectively, per kg as against the current price of Rs. 200 and Rs. 60 a kg, respectively.
