Disruption in power supply affected the Dasara festivities at the Kanaka Durga temple atop Indrakeeladri on Sunday.
Authorities of the Sri Durgamalleswara Swamivarla Devasthanam made arrangements for supply of power through generators to the sanctum sanctorum and the areas in close proximity of the temple.
The first Sunday is usually witness to a large number of devotees from various districts.
The temple operated seven buses from various localities in the city to the temple, but it was difficult for people from all over the district to reach Vijayawada in the absence of RTC buses.
Free food arranged
The authorities arranged free food for all devotees at Sri Srungeri Matham (Arjuna Veedhi) as accommodating a large number of them in its original place on Indrakeeladri was not possible.
The day began with several rituals at3 a.m. The goddess gave darshan in ‘Balatripurasundari Alankarana’. Darshan for people began at 3 a.m. ‘Kumkumarchana’ by couples and women began at 7 a.m. at the Bhavani Mandapam. People took bath in the Krishna and had a darshan of the goddess.
Several dancers and a 24-memebr performers’ group played ‘kolatam’ at the entrance of the temple and entertained the devotees, who had a relatively easy darshan compared to the usual time it takes during the season.
The Guntur district-based Ashraya Rural Comprehensive Educational Institutions of Tadepalli, which had been supplying drinking water for the past 12 years, continued the tradition this year too by donating 40,000 packets on Saturday. In all 60, NSS volunteers guided the devotees.
The temple authorities said that had collected Rs.10.31 lakh on Sunday through darshan tickets and sale of ‘laddu prasadam’.
