Durga temple braces for 'Moola Nakshatram'

VIJAYAWADA: Indrakeeladri, the abode of Goddess Kanaka Durga, has been decked up for the 'Moola Nakshatra' puja scheduled for Wednesday. The presiding deity will be adorned as 'Saraswati Devi' on the day of 'Moola Nakshatram', which is revered by the devotees as the most auspicious among all the days of 'Navaratri'.

'Every year, about two lakh devotees visit the temple on 'Moola Nakshatram'. We are expecting more than two lakh devotees this year too,' said V Trinadha Rao, executive officer of Sri Durga Malleswara Swamyvarla temple.

As huge influx of devotees is expected, the temple authorities are making necessary arrangements to enable devotees have darshan of the Goddess from 1.30 am, instead of 3 am, which is the normal timing.

'The temple management is making all efforts to start darshan as early as possible, after cleaning and decorating the temple, and adorning 'Ammavaru' as 'Saraswati Devi'.

'Moola Nakshatram' is the birth star of 'Saraswati Devi' and hence, regarded as the most auspicious day. Devotees, who are unable to visit the temple on the other days of Navaratri, will earn the grace of the Goddess and all positive results, if they visit the temple on 'Moola Nakshatram' day,' explained Temple Sthanacharya Sivaprasada Sarma.

Meanwhile, VIP darshan will be cancelled Wednesday and devotees in all queue lines can have free darshan. Even the VIP vehicles and temple buses meant for transporting handicapped and senior citizens will be cancelled. There will not be 'Antharalayam Darshan' on the day.

'Laddu prasadam has already been kept ready. Monitoring and controlling at queue lines will begin on Tuesday midnight itself,' the EO informed.

VIPs Make A Beeline on Day 6

While the flow of VIPs was low on the first five days, many VIPs visited the temple and offered prayers to Goddess Durga on Tuesday. Union civil aviation minister P Ashok Gajapati Raju, Narasaraopet MP Rayapati Sambasiva Rao, APCC president N Raghuveera Reddy, endowments commissioner YV Anuradha and former MLA Malladi Vishnu, were among those who visited the temple on the sixth day of Navaratri celebrations.

Over 55,000 Offer Prayers to Goddess Lakshmi

Even a day before 'Moola Nakshatram', the Durga temple on Tuesday buzzed with activity as more than 55,000 devotees had darshan of Goddess Durga in the 'Mahalakshmi Devi' avataram. Barring a few incidents, devotees had the darshan of the presiding deity comfortably during the last six days.

However, only two buses were being operated for senior citizens and the handicapped, causing much inconvenience to the devotees.

Though ladoo prasadam and pulihora were being distributed in sufficient quantities, as requested by the devotees, long queues for 'Annadanam' were troubling them. Endowments commissioner YV Anuradha felicitated more than 100 archaka swamis from various parts of the state at Bhavani Deeksha Mandapam in the evening.

The darshan started at 3 am and 'Antharalayam Darshan' was stopped at 10.30 pm Tuesday so that 'Ammavaru' could be adorned for 'Moola Nakshatra' puja for Wednesday.