Durga Pandals Elevate Devotional Fervour

Vijayawada:The city is deeply immersed in spiritual fervour as the nine-day Dasara Navaratri festivities are on in full grandeur at the Sri Durga Malleswara Swamy Varla Devasthanam temple atop Indrakeeladri.

The temple stands as the focal point for devotion and celebration, attracting thousands of devotees daily.

Adding to the festive atmosphere, the numerous Durga pandals, vibrantly decorated by various community organisers across the city, have elevated the devotional spirit.

Around 50 Durga pandals have been set up in Vijayawada and its surrounding areas, weaving a web for the Navaratri festive atmosphere in every nook and corner.

The pandal sponsors conduct special rituals such as Homam, Kumkum Archana, Khadgamala Archana and Kolatam and stage plays of Hindu mythologies. This is in addition to the daily puja rituals for the goddess Kanaka Durga idols that are adorned in different manifestations each day during the Navaratri festivities.

Nabhani Durga Rao, chief organiser of a Durga pandal set up at Sitannapet Centre, said, “For 10 years, we have been putting up a pandal. This year, the Utsava Murti (idol), standing 14 feet tall and costing `1.50 lakh, was brought from Hyderabad and is being worshipped.”

After performing special rituals during Navaratri, the idol immersion will be held on Vijaya Dasami.

Ramana, organising committee member of a Durga pandal set up at Vishalandhra Road, said, “We have been celebrating the Dasara Prabha Utsavalu for the last 13 years. The Utsava Murti from a local Durga temple in Durgapuram is brought, special pujas are offered, and it is then taken back to the temple after Navaratri.”

“People from all walks of life come together during the Navaratri Utsavs to perform special pujas and play Kolatam," he said.

Ramana said that unlike the Ganesh pandals, which are erected in almost every street, the Dasara festival is celebrated with Durga pandals set up by a handful of groups. Yet, there is a relative increase in the number of pandals for Dasara with each passing year in the city.