Vijayawada: CM Jagan to present silk robes to Goddess Durga on October 20
The schedule for Dasara Sarannavarathri Utsavalu on the hilltop Indrakeeladri Durga temple was released on Tuesday. The celebrations will be held from October 15 to 23, when Goddess Durga will be adorned in various attires.
The auspicious Dasara celebrations atop Indrakeeladri would be organised for nine days. The presiding deity, Goddess Sri Kanaka Durga, will be adorned and would appear as 'Sri Maha Chandi Devi Alankaram' on Oct 19, the fifth day of the celebrations.
Chief Minister Jagan Mohan Reddy would offer the silk robes to the goddess on the Moola Nakshatra, wherein the presiding deity would appear as Sri Saraswathi Devi Alankaram on October 20 (Friday).
Durga temple trust board chairman Karnati Rambabu and EO Bhramaramba said chief minister Jagan Reddy would offer silk robes at 3pm on auspicious Moola Nakshtara day. Over 3,400 police personnel would ensure law and order for the Dasara festivities.
In view of incidents in the past, the temple authorities are seeking coordination from all departments to make the festivities successful.
Trust board chairman Karnati Rambabu, temple executive officer Bhramaramba and Vedic scholar Sankar Sandilya addressed a press meet here on Tuesday to explain the arrangements for the festivities.
Rambabu and Bhramaramba said that as per the devotees' wish as also suggestions from Vedic scholars and prominent swamijis, the goddess will be adorned in the Maha Chandi Alankaram on Ashwayuja Shuddha Panchami. The new alankaram will be in place of 'Sri Swarna Kawachalankrutha Devi' alankaram, they said.
They made it clear that the Darshan timings of the goddess during the Dasara will be from 3am to 11pm, except for the first day when devotees would be allowed in after 8am, due to the special poojas, Snapanabhishekarm and other rituals.
On the auspicious occasion of Moola Nakshatra on Oct 20, the devotees are allowed to have the goddess darshan from 2am to 11pm. The CM would present the silk robes to Goddess Durga.
As usual, during the 9-day Dasara festivities, neither devotees nor VIPs are allowed the Anthralaya Darshan. In view of the previous years' demand and experience, the temple authorities will make available 20 lakh laddu prasadams in advance for the convenience of the devotees.
This year, the temple is spending around '7 crore for the arrangements, of which '2.50 crore will be spent on engineering works, the two functionaries said.
As part of the arrangements, queue line works have been started. Devotees would be offered Annaprasadams during the 9-day festival. Annadanam would be done at the Mahamandampam.
Some 600 barbers would be deployed for the convenience of the devotees. Besides, over 800 showers also will be installed for bathing.
