Sri Durga Malleswara Swamyvarla Devasthanam has geared up to organise 10-day Dasara festivities beginning on Tuesday. After a gap of four years, 10-day Dasara festival is being celebrated atop Indrakeeladri this year. The Dasara festivities begin on October 13 and conclude with Teppotsavam on October 22.
The temple authorities have made elaborate arrangements to mark the celebrations with a budget of about Rs. 4 crore.
Five queue lines and barricading were formed from Vinayaka temple to atop Indarkeeladri and the roads leading to the Kanaka Durga temple were spruced up for the festival.
A total length of 12-km barricading from bathing ghats to the temple is done. In addition, the temple is forming a separate queue line from Kummaripalem centre to facilitate the devotees coming from Bhavanipuram, Ibrahimpatnam and other areas abutting National Highway (NH)-9. Separate queue lines were being formed for Rs. 50, Rs. 100 and Rs. 250 ticket holders.
The temple management has made arrangements for supplying water sachets and extending medical assistance to devotees in queue.
The temple has planned to ply free buses from Ashoka Pillar to Indrakeeladri for the benefit of the physically challenged and aged persons.
In view of heavy demand for prasadam, 20 prasadam counters would be opened for the festival. While prasadam tickets would issued in 10 counters, prasadam would be issued in another 10 counters at Kanaka Durga Nagar. Special counters would be in operation at railway station and bus station for the convenience of long distance pilgrims visiting the temple.
The temple authorities have estimated that more than 10 lakh devotees would throng the temple during the festival. It, however, would touch 1.65 lakh on Moola Nakshatram, the day on which presiding deity would be decked up as goddess Saraswati, according to temple Executive Officer Ch. Narsing Rao.
The temple was expecting 50,000 to 60,000 people on every day, excluding Moola Nakshatram and Vijaya Dasami.
Silk robes
Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu is expected to present silk robes to presiding deity on Moola Nakshatram day.
All the bathing ghats have been spruced up for the festival. Temporary toilets, and dress changing rooms have been constructed at Sitammavari Padalu and other ghats, he said. Mr. Rao said that the devotees can take part in Chandi Homam, Kumkum archana, pujas and rituals. The booking can be done online,www.durgamma.com, mee seva centres, he said.
