Devotees in exceptional numbers throng Durga temple on fifth day at Indrakeeladri

In a special ceremony, the Srikalahasti Devasthanam Board, led by executive officer (EO) S.S. Chandrasekhar Azad, presented silk robes to Goddess Kanaka Durga on behalf of the Srikalahasti temple.

District collector Dr G. Srijana and commissioner of police S.V. Raja Sekhara Babu closely monitored the arrangements for devotees, ensuring smooth operations as large crowds gathered. To facilitate uninterrupted darshan, the district administration, in collaboration with temple authorities, implemented measures for both free and paid queue lines, including Rs 100 and Rs 300 options.

Collector Srijana conducted a surprise inspection of the Laddu Prasadam and Anna Prasadam preparation unit at Brahmana Veedhi, assuring that quality ingredients are used in accordance with the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) Standard Operating Procedures. She confirmed that ghee supplied by Vijaya Dairy is used, with regular quality checks in place.
Srijana announced that a total of 2.5 lakh laddu prasadams will be available for devotees on Moola Nakshatram day, with daily sales ranging between 60,000 to 70,000 laddus during the festivities.

To manage the anticipated increase in devotee turnout during the final days of the festival, the government appointed endowment department additional commissioner K. Ramachandra Mohan as the special officer overseeing Dasara arrangements at Indrakeeladri. Endowment minister Anam Ramnarayana Reddy issued orders for Mohan to coordinate with all relevant departments to ensure comprehensive arrangements for devotees.

On Tuesday, the sixth day of the Dasara festivities, Goddess Kanaka Durga will be adorned as Mahalakshmi Devi, continuing the series of blessings for the devotees.