Temples decked up for Dasara

The reflections of beautifully illuminated canal road on placid waters in Eastern Canal of river Krishna gives a majestic look one the eve of Dasara in Vijayawada. Photo: Ch. Vijaya Bhaskar

The temples in Krishna district have been decorated for Dasara Navarathri Utsavams, to be celebrated from October 16 to 24.

The Endowments Department is making elaborate arrangements for the nine-day utsavams and Durga Devi and the shrines of other deities were illuminated for the festival.

The devastanam committees arranged separate queue lines, prasadam counters, drinking water and other facilities at the temples.

Kota Mahalakshmi Devi temple at Nuzvid and Mahalakshmi shrine at Chittinagar and in Marakatha Raja Rajeswari Devastanam at Dutta Ashramam were readied for the festival.

Devotees arranged pandals at many places in the district to celebrate Sarannavarathri Utsavams on a grand scale and decorated the temples with `thoranams’.

The temples will decorate the deities with nine ‘alankarams’ during the Dasara celebrations. The chief priests will perform special pujas and ‘kunkuma archanas’ during the Navarathri Utsavams at the temples.

The city wore a festive look with the temple managements decorating the approach roads and streets with illumination. Shopkeepers arranged stalls of puja material, toys, balloons, photographs of different gods.

Roadside eateries, fruit and sugarcane juice stalls were set up at many places in the city to attract the pilgrims. The district administration and the police are making several arrangements for the smooth conduct of Dasara festivities.

Women and girls are making arrangements to celebrate ‘Bommala Koluvu’ with colourful toys at their houses in view of Dasara celebrations. Devotees are preparing to celebrate the festival with traditional sweets and ethnic foods.