VIJAYAWADA: Deputy Chief Minister Budi Mutyala Naidu was stopped for a while at the main entrance of Indrakeeladri Durga Temple when he reached there for having the darshan of the Goddess on Wednesday.
This is because security people failed to identify the Deputy CM, who arrived without any entourage or ostentation. However, soon after learning of the incident, Durga Temple executive officer (EO) D. Bhramaramba rushed to the gate and took Mutyala Naidu into the temple.
The Deputy Chief Minister then had darshan of Durga Devi in the Gayatri Devi Alankara The Deputy Chief Minister then had darshan of Durga Devi in the Gayatri Devi Alankara and performed pujas to her.and performed pujas to her. Vedic scholars gave Mutyala Naidu blessings while the EO presented him Sheshavastralu and Laddu Prasadam.
The day also witnessed a ruckus at the gate after police denied entry to two priests – Upa Pradhana Archaka Kota Ravi and Sthanacharya Vishnu Prasad Sarma, despite their requests that they be allowed to perform their duties.
Police, however, maintained that they had locked the gates following instructions from the Durga temple executive officer.
The priests had to wait until NTR district collector S. Dilli Rao arrived there and pacified the visibly angry priests. Dilli Rao later described it as a small issue that had been resolved after police apologised to the priests.
The rush of devotees had been only moderate on the third day of Dasara celebrations. A large number of students are seen waiting in queue lines for the darshan of the Goddess in the form of Sri Gayathri Devi. Goddess Gayathri Devi is considered the Goddess of Knowledge. Worshipping her is believed to give wisdom.
