Dasara festivities bring alive all Anantapur temples

ANANTAPUR: Historic temples in the district are all geared up for Dasara celebrations. Unlike last year when lockdown forced closure of temples and barred the annual 10-day celebrations, this time around, temples at Lepakshi, Kadiri and others are decked up for the occasion after getting the official go-ahead nod. 

The Durga Devi temple located in the premises of the five centuries old Lord Veerabhadra Swamy temple at Lepakshi will reverberate with Dasara festivities. Goddess Durga is carved in a pillar of the temple, which was a famed deity during the Vijayanagar rule. People could get darshan during the second wave.

Lord Narasimha Swamy temple at Kadiri is heavily patronized by devotees from across Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Telangana. As part of the 10-day celebrations, Brahmotsavalu of Lord Narasimha Swamy has been conducted. The utsava deities are being taken out procession inside the temple premises and mada streets. 

Kadiri brahmotsavalu is almost similar to Lord Venkateswara Swamy utsavalu at Tirumala because Lord Narasimha Swamy is believed to have blessed Prahlad at Kadiri. 

Similarly, all Durga temples are fully decorated for ten-day long Dasara celebrations. Anantapur city is now dotted with Durga statues and pandals. The old town and new town Kanyaka Parameswari temples have been celebrating the occasion with different kinds of attires for the Goddess.