Sakambari festival concludes at Kanaka Durga temple

As is the practice, devotees from Hyderabad offer ‘bonalu’ to the presiding deity

A devotee from Hyderabad carrying ‘bonalu’ on her head, atop Indrakeeladri in Vijayawada on Sunday.

The three-day Sakambari festival concluded at the Sri Durga Malleswara Swamy Varla Devasthanam here on Sunday with the priests offering ‘purnahuti’.

The authorities decorated the sanctum sanctorum with vegetables and fruits. Vedic scholars performed the ‘satha chandi yagam’, ‘havan’ and other rituals.

Meanwhile, ‘rudrabhishekam’ was performed at the Malleswara Swamy temple (Sivalayam) as part of the ‘Guru Purnima’ celebrations.

As the conclusion of the festival coincided with Guru Purnima, devotees visited the temple and offered special prayers to Goddess Kanaka Durga.

‘Kadabam’ prasadam prepared with the decorated vegetables was distributed among the devotees.

“We have adhered to the COVID-19 protocol. Devotees with valid tickets alone are allowed inside the temple,” said Executive Officer M.V. Suresh Babu.

Traditional offering

Devotees from Hyderabad offered the traditional ‘bonam’ to the Goddess. They also offered the presiding deity ‘pattu vastralu’. Women devotees thronged the temple carrying the traditional offering made of rice, jaggery and curd on their head.

The Bhagyanagar Sri Mahankali Jatara Utsavaala Committee, a conglomeration of more than 300 temples in Hyderabad, brings ‘bonalu’ every year during ‘ashada maasam’ as per the Telugu almanac.

The committee members said they were continuing the tradition even after bifurcation of the State as it was meant for the well-being of the Telugu-speaking people in the two States and across the country.

Kanaka Durga Temple Trust Board chairman Pyla Somi Naidu and Mr. Suresh Babu performed ‘puja’ along with the committee members.