The 10-day Dasara festival at Kanaka Durga temple atop Indrakeeladri began on a grand note here on Tuesday– Ashwayuja Suddha Padyami – with the pilgrims turning out in significant numbers.
The presiding deity is adorned as Swarna Kavachalankrita Sri Kanaka Durga Devi. The festival began with traditional rituals performed by the priests at the temple.
Even though barricading was done for a stretch of about three kms – from canal road to the temple – the queue lines were rather slim initially. The scenario was much the same at the bathing ghats. But, the queue lines were appeared to be full as the temple authorities did not throw open the temple for darshan until 9 a.m. The rush, however, slowly picked up by the evening. The queue lines wore a deserted look in the afternoon for about two hours. However, the rush picked up by evening.
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Festivities began with Suprabhata seva at around 3 a.m. which was followed by ‘Snapanabhishekam’ at 3.30 a.m. and ‘Balabhoga Nivedana' at 6.30 a.m. And, temple was thrown open for devotees by 9 a.m. Sri Durga Malleswara Swamyvarla Devasthanam Executive Officer Ch. Narsinga Rao and his family and DCP Ashok Kumar offered first prayers at the temple.
The pilgrims reached the temple in the morning and joined the dharma darshan queue after taking a holy dip in the Krishna.