Vijayawada: The Dasara Sharannavaratri celebrations being conducted at Sri Durga Malleswara Swamy Varla Devasthanam atop Indrakeeladri in Vijayawada are continuing on a grand note, drawing massive crowds of devotees each day.

On Sunday, the seventh day of the Dasara Sharannavaratri festivities, Goddess Kanaka Durga Devi appeared in the powerful form of Sri Maha Chandi Devi Avataram, blessing thousands of devotees who thronged the temple for darshan.

Scriptures say darshan of this form brings many auspicious results, granting strength, prosperity, and divine protection. The festival of Dasara—popularly known as Dussehra—symbolises the removal of ten sins and the establishment of Dharma through the destruction of evil.

Celebrated from Ashwayuja Shuddha Padyami to Dashami (September 22–October 2 this year), each day features a unique Alankaram. On this sacred day, devotees were blessed with the powerful vision of Maha Chandi Devi.

From early morning, devotees began pouring into the temple premises, with heavy crowds building up from as early as 3 am. Long queues stretched across Indrakeeladri from the Vinayaka temple, resonating with the chants of “Jai Bhavani” and devotional hymns.

Many devotees, though unable to move forward quickly in the queues, expressed joy and devotion in witnessing the divine form of Jaganmata. By 3 pm, around 80,000 devotees visited the temple and had the Durga Devi darshan.

Anticipating the weekend rush, the temple authorities made elaborate arrangements to ensure hassle-free darshan. In coordination with multiple departments — including Endowments, Police, Municipal Corporation, Revenue, and Medical & Health — facilities were provided without compromise. Drinking water, sanitation, medical aid, and security were strengthened to manage the surge in devotees.

NTR district collector Dr G Lakshmisha and Police Commissioner SV Rajasekhar Babu personally inspected the queue lines, mingling with devotees to understand their experiences. Particularly, collector Dr Lakshmisha has been reviewing the situation daily, ensuring any lapses are immediately rectified. Along with Police Commissioner Rajasekhar Babu and Durga Temple Executive Officer (EO) VK Seena Naik, he is constantly monitoring the arrangements to maintain order during the festive rush.

With Moola Nakshatram falling on September 29 (Monday), officials expect an even larger influx of devotees, and have accordingly stepped up their crowd management plans. The Dasara Sharannavaratri festivities will continue till October 2, with each day witnessing a unique Alankaram of the Goddess.

In the meantime, the Minister for BC, Economically Weaker Sections Welfare, and Handlooms & Textiles, S Savitha, accompanied by Handlooms & Textiles Commissioner Rekha Rani, visited the temple to offer special prayers. During this occasion, the minister presented silk robes to Goddess Durga Devi.

Furthermore, Vijayawada MP Kesineni Sivanath, commonly referred to as Chinni, was granted the opportunity to have darshan of the presiding deity, Durga Devi. Subsequently, he evaluated the arrangements for the day of Moola Nakshatram, as the temple officials anticipated more than 200,000 devotees. Additionally, the Chief Secretary of the state, K Vijayanand, along with others, visited the temple to offer special prayers to Goddess Durga Devi.