Devotees Throng Temples in Nellore, Prakasam Ahead of Dasara
The rush spilled onto the city’s roads, with traffic moving at a snail’s pace in commercial hubs such as Stonehousepeta, the AC Vegetable Market, and Trunk Road, as festival shoppers and devotees thronged the streets.
Nellore: Temples across Nellore and Prakasam districts reverberated with devotional fervour on Mahanavami, the penultimate day of Dasara festivities. From the early hours, scores of devotees visited shrines to offer prayers, seeking blessings for health, prosperity and the well-being of their families.
Adding to the festive spirit, a heavy turnout of devotees observing Durga Deeksha made their way to the Ayyappa temple in Nellore for the Irumudi ritual in the morning. Clad in traditional attire and chanting hymns, the devotees performed the sacred offering, a key ritual marking the culmination of their spiritual observance.
In the evening, these devotees carried the sacred Irumudi on their heads in a colourful procession that wound through the GNT Road before reaching the Sri Rajarajeswari temple, where special pujas were performed. The vibrant display, marked by devotional songs, drumbeats, and a sea of pilgrims in clad-red robes, drew large crowds of onlookers who joined in the festive mood.
Meanwhile, flower and vegetable markets were packed to capacity, with people making last-minute purchases for Vijayadasami and Ayudha Puja on Thursday. Traders reported brisk sales as households stocked up on flowers, fruits, and puja essentials.
The rush spilled onto the city’s roads, with traffic moving at a snail’s pace in commercial hubs such as Stonehousepeta, the AC Vegetable Market, and Trunk Road, as festival shoppers and devotees thronged the streets.
With Vijayadasami around the corner, officials expect even larger gatherings at temples on Thursday, marking the grand finale of the nine-day Navaratri celebrations.