Vijayawada: Indrakeeladri draws huge crowds on 2nd day

Vijayawada: Heavy rush of devotees continued the second day at Indrakeeladri for the darshan of Goddess Kanaka Durga to mark the Navaratri celebrations.

The presiding deity was adorned as Sri Bala Tripura Sundari Devi on the second day Monday of the 9-day festival celebrations.

Devotees made serpentine queues to the temple from early hours after taking a holy dip in Krishna River. The temple authorities made elaborate arrangements for the convenience of devotees. Students and volunteers of NCC distributed drinking water packets and voluntary organisations arranged medical camps for the benefit of devotees. The temple authorities supplied free milk to children below five years and senior citizens. Public address system has been arranged to make announcements to regulate the surge of devotees and to prevent missing of children in the crowd.

Bala Tripura Sundari Devi is described as the divine combination of wisdom of Goddess Saraswati, the magnetic energy of Goddess Mahakali and the prosperity of Lalitha Tripura Sundari. Worshiping her is the vital part of Shakti puja. Even listening to her name is beneficial to the sadhaka, said the priests. On the third day, the presiding deity Kanaka Durga will be adorned as Sri Gayatri Devi. In this attire, the Goddess with her magical powers is seated on a lotus with 'panchamukhi' representing the pancha pranas -- prana, Apana, Vyana, Udana, and Samana, 5 principles or elements (pancha tatvas) earth, water, air, fire, sky (Prithvi, Jala, Vayu, Teja, aakasha). She glows in five colors-mukta (pearl), vidruma (coral), Hema (gold) Neela (blue), Dhavala (White) and has 'asht bhuji', eight shoulders.