Women busy packing ‘pulihora prasadam’ at Sri Durga Malleswara Swamyvaarla devastanam atop Indrakeeladri in Vijayawada on Wednesday.

Vijayawada, October 11, 2013: Secondary Education Minister Kolusu Parthasarathy will present silk robes to the presiding deity on the auspicious ‘Moola Nakshatram' day, which falls on October 10. The presentation of traditional silk robes to presiding deity is one of the main events during Dasara festival at Indrakeeladri, abode of goddess Kanaka Durga.

But, never before the presentation of traditional silk robes to presiding deity during Dasara festivities was a subject of animated discussion. Indrakeeladri is agog with tittle-tattle in this regard a day before Moola Nakshatram on traditional event, on Wednesday. The employees were seen discussing who would present the silk robes to the presiding deity, despite the fact that the State government had issued a GO saying that the Secondary Education Minister would present the silk robes.

More pilgrims expected

Generally, the Chief Minister or Endowments Minister will present the silk robes to the deity.

The temple authorities are expecting that the Minister would present the robes on Thursday at 4 p.m. Endowments Minister C. Ramachandraiah is expected to visit the temple in the evening after 5 p.m. The temple authorities, however, has not confirmed about the Minister’s schedule. The temple priests would give the traditional ‘aashirvachanam' (blessings) to the Ministers.

The Devasthanam has geared up to meet the significant rise in the turnout of pilgrims on the Moola Nakshatram day on Thursday. The temple authorities are expecting that about 2.5 lakh to 3 lakh devotees are expected to throng the temple. The devotees would wait for their turn for darshan from midnight onwards itself.

The festival would end with Teppotsavam, the celestial boat ride of the presiding deity and her consort, in the Krishna on the Vijaya Dasami day on October 13. The priests would deck up the goddess in different Alankarams on each day, beginning with Swarna Kavachalankritha Durga Devi.

Source: The Hindu, October 11, 2013