Kumbhabhishekam To Be Held With Dasara-Scale Grandeur From March 6 to 8

Vijayawada: The three-day Kumbhabhishekam Mahotsavam at the Sri Durga Malleswara Swamy (Durga) Temple atop Indrakeeladri will be conducted with grandeur on par with the famed Dasara festivities.

This was announced by NTR district collector Lakshmisha on Tuesday. Chairing a coordination panel meeting attended by police commissioner Rajasekhar, municipal corporation commissioner Dhyana Chandra and Temple executive officer VK Seena Nayak, the collector called for meticulous arrangements of the highest standards to ensure a seamless spiritual experience for the devotees.

The sacred ritual, performed once every 12 years as per Agama Shastra prescriptions for the spiritual rejuvenation of the temple, would draw massive crowds.

Officials estimate nearly one lakh devotees on each of the first two days and 1.5 lakh visitors on the concluding day.

Lakshmisha counselled priority for common devotees, with elaborate queue lines, free darshan for them for all three days, and arrangements for annaprasadam and laddu distribution. Special focus will be on drinking water supply, temporary toilet facilities and sanitation.

Buttermilk and prasadam would be distributed in queue lines.

Shower facilities, sector-wise deployment of staff, medical camps, public address systems and live telecast arrangements have also been planned. A multi-departmental control room and a QR code-based feedback system will be operational.

The police commissioner promised robust security, deployment of drones, CCTV and AI-enabled cameras alongside the scientific traffic and crowd management plans to prevent incidents.

The corporation commissioner said civic arrangements would match the efficiency of the Dasara celebrations.

Temple EO Seena Nayak detailed the schedule, beginning with Yagashala rituals at 8am on March 6 and culminating in the Kumbhabhishekam at 9.34am on March 8 in Mesha Lagnam.

The rituals will be performed by the pontiff of Kanchi Kamakoti Peetham, Sri Shankara Vijayendra Saraswati Swamiji.

The Chief Minister and other public representatives are expected to attend the events. Arjitha sevas and Antaralayam darshan would remain cancelled during the three-day spiritual spectacle.