Thousands of devotees thronged the famed Indrakeeladri hill on Sunday to offer prayers to Goddess Sri Kanaka Durga, with the weekend holiday triggering a massive influx of pilgrims from the early hours of the day
Heavy rush at Kanaka Durga Temple due to heavy rain (Image:DC)
VIJAYAWADA: Thousands of devotees thronged the famed Indrakeeladri hill on Sunday to offer prayers to Goddess Sri Kanaka Durga, with the weekend holiday triggering a massive influx of pilgrims from the early hours of the day. Temple officials said the rush began increasing sharply from around 9 a.m.; hence, the temple administration made elaborate arrangements to ensure smooth crowd management and hassle-free darshan for devotees.
As the crowd swelled further, officials temporarily suspended Antaralaya Darshan from 10.30 am to facilitate quicker movement of general devotees. All categories of VIP darshan were also cancelled between 10.30 am and 2.15 pm, enabling devotees in the regular queues to have faster and smoother access to the sanctum.
A newly introduced mobile drinking water distribution system received an enthusiastic response from pilgrims. Considering the intense summer heat, temple staff supplied chilled drinking water directly to devotees waiting in the queues using portable water containers. Devotees appreciated the initiative, saying it provided much-needed relief without requiring them to leave the queues.
The temple administration also ensured uninterrupted distribution of free prasadam and annadanam throughout the day. After 2.15 pm, the crowd gradually thinned. Members of the temple trust board visited the queue lines to personally review the facilities and interact with devotees. Assistant commissioner Ranga Rao continuously monitored crowd regulation and issued necessary instructions to temple staff.
Executive officer V.K. Seena Naik coordinated operations through the temple's wireless communication system, issuing real-time directions to officials. He added that devotees experienced a peaceful and orderly darshan despite the exceptionally heavy rush, with many expressing satisfaction over the arrangements.
( Source : Deccan Chronicle )
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