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Time of India
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Goddess Kanaka Durga to adorn new avatar this Dasara
Vijayawada: The 2025 Dasara festivities at the Sri Durga Malleswara Swamy Varla Devasthanam (SDMSD) temple are set to witness increased spiritual fervour and grandeur with the introduction of a new manifestation of Goddess Kanaka Durga. The presiding deity in the temple's sanctum sanctorum will adorn a new avatar, Katyayani Devi, and shower her blessings on devotees during the Dasara celebrations. As a result, the traditionally 10-day-long Dasara festival will be celebrated for 11 days this year at the temple premises. The presiding deity will be adorned as Katyayani Devi on the fourth day of the 11-day Dasara festivities, i.e., on Thursday, Sept 25, after Annapurna Devi and before Maha Lakshmi Devi avatars during the festival. "Last time in 2016, the Goddess Kanaka Durga Devi was adorned as the Katyayani Devi and blessed devotees during the Dasara festival at Indrakeeladri. An additional manifestation of the Goddess Kanaka Durga will be added every time there is an increase of Tithi between Padyami to Dasami Tithis," Durga temple Vaidik committee member Srinivas Sastry said. According to Srinivas Sastry, this year the Chavithi (Chaturthi) Tithi has come on two days, i.e., on Sept 25 and 26, and subsequently, the goddess will be adorned as Katyayani Devi on Sept 25 and Maha Lakshmi Devi on Sept 26. "When a Tithi ends in a short time and two Tithis fall on the same day, the presiding deity will be adorned in two avatars on the same day. In such instances, the Dasara festival will be celebrated for just nine days at the temple, and the goddess will be adorned as Mahisasura Mardini and Rajarajeswari Devi," the pandit said. The pandit further said that the Katyayani Devi avatar is adorned at Srisailam Bramaramba Mallikarjuna Swamy Varla Devasthanam every year during Dasara. "Many young and unmarried women observe Katyayani Vratham seeking the goddess' blessings for their marriage. This avatar of the Goddess Durga Devi is not new, and she is worshipped by many women devotees who believe worshipping the Devi Katyayani will remove obstacles in their lives," said Uma Shankar Sharma, a priest based in Vijayawada.
New Indian Express
11-07-2025
- General
- New Indian Express
Devotees perform Giri Pradakshina at Durga temple on Guru Purnima
VIJAYAWADA: Sri Durga Malleswara Swamy Varla Devasthanam (SDMSD) organised the sacred Giri Pradikshina around Indrakeeladri Hill on the occasion of Aashada Pournami and Guru Purnima on Thursday. Devotees from across Vijayawada and neighbouring areas thronged the Kanaka Durga temple to take part in the ritual. Temple Executive Officer (EO) V.K. Seena Naik, along with his family, offered special prayers and ceremonially broke a coconut to commence the event. Devotees, chanting hymns in praise of Goddess Durga, offered coconuts to Goddess Kamadhenu Kanaka Durga at the temple's toll gate and began their 7-km trek around the hill. The Giri Pradikshina route covered Kummaripalem Centre, Nalugu Satambala Centre, Vidyadharapuram, Sitara Junction, Milk Project, Chitti Nagar, and Brahmin Street before returning to Indrakeeladri. Thousands participated in the spiritual procession, offering prayers to Goddess Kanaka Durga and Lord Malleswara Swamy. The temple town was filled with festive fervour as pilgrims walked with devotion. The programme was designed by the temple authorities and the Vedic Committee, inspired by the Tiruvannamalai Girivalam tradition. 'Circumambulating Indrakeeladri on a full moon day is believed to fulfill wishes, as celestial deities are said to dwell here on this auspicious day,' EO Seena Naik said. The procession was enriched with devotional music, thappeta and kolatam folk dances, bhajans, and Vedic chants, creating a spiritually charged atmosphere.
Time of India
30-06-2025
- General
- Time of India
Kanaka Durga temple gears up for Shakambari Utsavalu
1 2 Vijayawada: The Sri Durga Malleswara Swamy Varla Devasthanam (SDMSD) temple atop Indrakeeladri is gearing up for the grand conduct of the three-day Shakambari Utsavalu - 2025 from July 8 to July 10. The annual festival, dedicated to goddess Shakambari Devi, will be celebrated with great pomp and attracts a large number of devotees. The festival coincides with the auspicious Asahada Masam, during which women devotees in groups arrive at the Indrakeeladri temple to offer traditional sarees to goddess Kanaka Durga at the temple. During the three-day festival, the temple authorities will decorate the temple premises with a variety of flowers and vegetables offered by devotees from not only AP but also from neighbouring states. As per the legend, goddess Shakambari, moved by the suffering of people during drought situation, manifested vegetables and fruits from her own body to save people from starvation. The festival attracts tens of thousands of devotees over the three days, as general belief among devotees is that they will be blessed with abundant prosperity. Meanwhile, the temple authorities have started making elaborate arrangements including erecting auxiliary queue lines, prasadam counters, and other arrangements to manage the rush during the three-day festival. On Monday, the temple authorities met farmers and traders in Eluru, Tadepalligudem, Tanuku, Kothapet, and neighbouring towns, wherein the farmers and traders pledged to donate vegetables and flowers to decorate the temple. Subsequently, arrangements are underway to provide Kadambam, a special prasadam distributed to devotees during the festival.
Time of India
26-05-2025
- Time of India
Kanaka Durga temple to streamline VIP darshan protocol, privilege darshans to reduce congestion
Vijayawada: Sri Durga Malleswara Swamy Varla Devasthanam (SDMSD) temple executive officer (EO) VK Seena Nayak said that the temple body will start streamlining the VIP protocol darshan and privilege darshans between 11 am and 1:30 pm, when the rush of common devotees is usually high in the general and free darshan queue lines at the temple premises. Addressing the media on Monday, EO Seena Nayak said that the temple authorities have expedited various ongoing development works, including the construction of the Annadanam complex and Laddu Potu, which are being built on war footing to be completed before the upcoming Dasara festivities. Speaking on the occasion, the EO informed that the reconsecration ritual of the newly constructed Navagraha Mandapam will be held for three days on June 3, 4, and 5, following the advice of the Vaidika committee members at the temple premises. Pointing to the increasing parking woes atop Indrakeeladri, the EO said that the temple administration has readied a four-acre parking area for devotees in front of the VMC office. Additionally, plans are afoot to utilise the two-acre land belonging to Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanam (TTD) near Punnami Ghat for parking. The EO added that the temple administration will operate free bus services from the two parking areas to the temple premises. Subsequently, the EO elaborated that the temple administration is planning to develop Durga Ghat by expanding the right side of the ghat to provide a better experience for devotees taking a holy dip in the river.
New Indian Express
21-04-2025
- New Indian Express
Daylight theft at Kanaka Durga temple raises security concerns
VIJAYAWADA: A daylight theft at Sri Durga Malleswara Swamy Varla Devasthanam (SDMSD) atop Indrakeeladri has raised serious concerns over poor security and lack of full-time CCTV surveillance. A family from Hyderabad, travelling to Amalapuram for a wedding, parked their car near the Om turning point and went for darshan of presiding deity Kanaka Durga. Upon returning, they found the car door open and gold ornaments weighing around 20 grams, worth Rs 3 lakh, missing from their luggage. The family alerted security personnel and checked CCTV footage but found that the location had no surveillance cameras. They later lodged a complaint with One Town Police, who registered a case and began investigation. Inspector Guru Prakash of One Town Police said that based on initial investigation, the accused likely conducted a recce and targeted the car parked in an unsecured zone. A Clues team collected forensic evidence from the scene. The incident has triggered concerns among devotees, who urged the temple authorities to strengthen surveillance and deploy adequate security staff to prevent such incidents. In 2021, the State police geo-tagged 58,871 temples across all 26 districts and carried out security audits. Temple protection committees were also formed involving locals to safeguard religious premises. A senior temple official, speaking anonymously, said most audit recommendations remain unimplemented due to administrative delays. 'Only 20 per cent of the temple area is under CCTV surveillance,' the official said. Devotees have demanded round-the-clock monitoring and swift execution of proposed security upgrades to ensure safety of pilgrims and their belongings.
