Devotees Throng Indrakeeladri For Rakhi Purnima

Thousands of devotees thronged the Sri Durga Malleswara Swamy temple atop Indrakeeladri on Friday to mark Sravana Purnima (Rakhi Purnima). The temple premises were decorated with flowers and illuminated with decorative lights for the festival and annual Pavitrotsavams.

The second day of the Pavitrotsavams featured special Vedic rituals by the temple’s Vedic committee, chief priests and scholars. Homas were performed at the yagasala, along with special worship and scriptural offerings to the presiding deity.

The temple also organised the traditional Indrakeeladri Giri Pradakshina from the Kamadhenu shrine near the Ghat Road entrance. Executive officer V.K. Seena Naik performed special prayers and formally launched the procession by breaking a coconut. Temple Sthanacharya V. Siva Prasad Sarma and other priests conducted the rituals.

The procession proceeded with tappetlu performances, kolatam, bhajans, instrumental music and Vedic chants. It passed through Ghat Road, Kummaripalem Centre, Vidyadharapuram, Palapactory, Chittinagar, Kothapeta and Brahmin Street before returning to Indrakeeladri.

Women welcomed the deity’s vehicle at several points by cleansing roads with turmeric water, performing harati and offering coconuts. Temple authorities distributed kumkum and prasadam along the route.

Naik inspected Ghat Road, sub-temples and Durga Ghat and reviewed arrangements for queues, drinking water, battery vehicles, parking, traffic control, security, bathing facilities and cloakrooms. He directed officials to ensure sanitation and drinking water facilities. Devotees were provided free prasadam and uninterrupted annaprasadam.

Mauritius Public Service and Administrative Reforms Minister Lutchmanah Pentiah and Odisha High Court Chief Justice Justice Harish Tandon also offered prayers at the temple. They received Vedic blessings, prasadam and portraits of the deity.