Durga temple replica to be built in the United States

Vijayawada: The devotees can  have darshan of Goddess Durga in America also if plans of the NRIs become a reality. According to temple priests, a group NRIs has planned to construct a Durga temple at Los Angeles or Texas in the United States.

According to the priests, NRIs A. Ravi Kumar, Ch. Subba Rao, B. Ashok Kumar and B. Ram Prasad have expressed their willingness to construct a Durga temple in the US in the model of the Durga temple in Vijayawada

As part of their plans, the temple priests initially have received invitation from the NRIs group in America to perform special pujas for one month from April 22 to May 22. The temple authorities have accepted to perform the pujas officially in America.

The temple priests will perform pujas in various states of America. Trishati, Kadgamala, Lalitha Sahasranamam, Rudrabhishekam and Navanaanarchana will be performed during the one month period.

As per the information, nearly 300 couples will participate in the pujas on every occasion. They informed that the pujas would be conducted in the weekends and holidays. The NRIs will bear the whole expenditure, including for pujas which are already decided by the endowments department.

Temple priests Lingambhotla Durga Prasad, Kota Prasad, Shankar Shandilya, M. Narayana Sharma, S.M. Prasad and K. Gopala Krishna will visit the US. However, some other temple staff may also take part in the team along with priests.  

Temple executive officer S.S.S. Chandrasekhar Azad said that the NRIs invited the priests and proposed the tour plan, but the endowments department is yet to cxomplete the formalities.