Bhavani Deeksha Viramana Concludes; Over 3.70 Lakh Visit Durga Temple

Vijayawada: Lanes, by-lanes and queue lines leading to Sri Durga Malleswara Swamy Varla Devasthanam a top Indrakeeladri reverberated with chants of Jai Durga, Jai Bhavani; as Bhavani devotees thronged the temple to relinquish their deeksha on the last day of Bhavani Deeksha Viramana in Vijayawada on Wednesday.

The Maha Purnahuti performed at 10 a.m. at the temple premises marked the completion of the five-day Bhavani Deeksha relinquishment. During the Purnahuti, temple priests offered pattu saree, sandalwood, ghee, flowers, fruits and other sacred items at the Homa Gundam, apart from giving Ashirvachanam to devotees.

About 72,000 Bhavani devotees relinquished their Deeksha till 6 pm at the temple on the last day of the Deeksha Viramana. Temple authorities said the number is expected to cross the 90,000 mark before the last Viramana day concludes.

Total 3.70 lakh Bhavani devotees have visited the temple and relinquished their Deeksha over the last five days, an increase of 50,000 compared to 3.20 lakh Bhavani devotees in 2023. Record 17.50 lakh laddu prasadams have been sold. 1.34 lakh devotees had their Anna Prasadam during the past five days. 55,629 devotees tonsured their heads during the Bhavani Deeksha viramana at the temple.

Even though temple authorities cancelled all privilege darshans and Arjita Sevas, it took a devotee nearly three hours to have Goddess Durga’s darshan.

Devotees in large numbers from both the Telugu states and neighbouring Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Odisha thronged the temple to relinquish their Deeksha on the last day.

NTR district collector Dr. G. Lakshmisha, along with Durga Temple executive officer K.S. Rama Rao, VMC commissioner H.M. Dhyanachandra and NTR district commissioner of police S.V. Raja Sekhara Babu, continuously monitored the rush of devotees from the Command Control Centre at the Model Guest House. Thereby, they ensured that devotees have a hassle-free darshan.

The five-day Deeksha relinquishment passed off with no untoward incident.