The authorities of Goddess Kanaka Durga temple on Indrakeeladri are gearing up for the Navaratri (9 days) festival scheduled to begin on October 8.
According to sources, the Devasthanam authorities are planned to put in place five queues for smooth passage of devotees and pilgrims.
The authorities made two free darshan queues for regular devotees, Rs 50 and Rs 100 special darshan queues and Rs 250 queue for VIPs. The queues will begin from Vinayaka temple on Canal Road and continue up to hill shrine.
The Devasthanam has made special arrangements for transporting VIPs, aged people, physically challenged and media persons. On the Ghat road, only the vehicles of Temple authorities would be permitted.
The Devasthanam took a decision not to permit private vehicles and others due to shortage of space on the hill shrine as lakhs of devotees throng temple to mark Dasara celebrations.
The Goddess Durga is decorated and seen as she takes the avatar of 10 different Goddesses based on the lunar calendar. These Goddesses are, Sri Swarna Kavachalakruta Devi, Sri Annapurnaa Devi, Sri Gayatri Devi, Sri Bala Tripura Sundari Devi, Sri Lalitha Tripura Sundari Devi, Sri Saraswati Devi, Sri Maha Lakshmi Devi, Sri Durga Devi, Sri Mahishasura Mardhini Devi and Sri Raja Rajeshwari Devi.
The authorities have allocated Rs 1.50 crore for Dasara arrangements and proposed to give five laddus to each devotee at a cost of Rs 5 each.
Commissioner of Police P S R Anjaneyulu stated that 2,500 police persons were deputed from different parts of the state for foolproof security arrangements.&nbsp;

General News

Dasara preparations in full swing at Indrakeeladri

The Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) authorities are fully geared up for the smooth conduct of annual nine-day Navaratri Brahmotsavam scheduled from October 8, stated TTD Joint Executive Officer K Bhaskar.
Talking to media persons, Mr Bhaskar said that due to 'Adhika Masam' (extra month) this year with 13 months against the usual 12 months in the traditional Hindu lunar calendar, two Brahmotsavams lasting nine days each would be conducted this year. This occurs once in four years, he revealed.
While the 'Salaktla' Brahmotsavam was held from September 11, the 'Navaratri' Brahmotsavam would be conducted from October 8, he said.
As a prelude to Brahmotsavam festivals, Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams, on Thursday performed 'Koil Alwar Tirumanjanam', the purification ceremony.
An interesting feature of the upcoming Brahmotsavams is that neither Dhwajarohanam nor Dhwaja avarohanam will be performed inside the temple as the festival is being conducted for the second time this year owing to the &lsquo;Adhika masam'.
The important days of the festival are the Garuda Seva on October 12, Pushpaka Vimanam on October 13 and Golden Chariot festival on October15. The festival will conclude on October16 with &lsquo;Chakrasnanam'.
Meanwhile 3,000 security persons have been deployed to provide security at Tirumala including the seven km long walkers' stone stairway leading to the hill shrine from Tirupati and the ghat roads on the hills, sources said.
The sources said that 200 Closed Circuit surveillance cameras were placed at several places as a security measure during the Brahmotsavam period.
The TTD has made elaborate arrangements for the daily processions of the Lord, which form the core of the nine-day festival.
With the Dasara holidays coinciding with the Brahmotsavams, the TTD management is expecting a heavy turnout of pilgrims and is going all out to meet their needs. The TTD said that accommodation will be provided on first-come-first-serve basis.
To provide hassle-free darshan for devotees, the TTD has cancelled Vasanthotsavam and Sahasra Deeparchana rituals.
Chief Minister K Rosaiah will visit the hill shrine at Tirumala on October 14 to present silk clothes on behalf of the state government and seek blessings of Lord Venkateswara.

TTD gears up for Navaratri Brahmotsavam

In a sickening incident which came to light on Thursday, a man allegedly raped his daughter-in-law with the active connivance of his wife under Nagarpalem police station limits in Guntur district.
According to Sub-Inspector Kotaiah, the 19-year-old victim lodged a complaint against her parents-in-law that she was raped after being administrated some drug. Mr Kotaiah opined that the crime was committed due to the parents-in-law&rsquo;s desperate desire to continue the family lineage.
The complainant stated that she was married to one Srinivas Rao two years ago and was residing in Seethamma Colony. She revealed in her complaint that she was still childless.
According to her complaint, her 45-year-old father-in-law B Edukondalu, with the help of his wife, gave her a tablet and she fainted after consuming it. She stated that her mother-in-law told her that the tablet would help in conceiving a child.
She discovered that she was physically violated after regaining consciousness. The incident took place on October 1, when her husband was not present at home.
The victim immediately informed her husband about the incident who in turn brought the matter to the notice of the community elders.
After discussing the matter with the community elders, the victim, along with her husband finally lodged the complaint on Wednesday evening.
According to police sources, Edukondalu has booked under Section 376 IPC and is presently under custody.

Man rapes daughter-in-law with wife's help

Central Bureau of Intelligence sleuths on Tuesday questioned Satyam founder and former chairman B Ramalinga Raju over the multi-crore accounting fraud in the company he had founded.
Raju, the prime accused in the Satyam fraud case, reached the CBI office at around 9:45 AM without his lawyers. He was questioned till 12:15 PM and then allowed to leave.
The CBI had on Monday summoned Raju through a notice for for further questioning into the 2008 scam.
According to sources, the CBI grilled Raju over the alleged fund diversion from Satyam Computers to some foreign countries. The CBI has sent Letters Rogatory to these unnamed foreign countries earlier and had received replies about a fortnight ago.
CBI sources say that one more case could be lodged against Raju if his involvement in the fund diversion is proved.
Raju was discharged from the NIMS hospital here last week where he was undergoing treatment for Hepatitis-C and heart problems since September.

Dasara preparations in full swing at Indrakeeladri

TTD gears up for Navaratri Brahmotsavam

TTD gears up for Navaratri Brahmotsavam

TTD gears up for Navaratri Brahmotsavam

TTD gears up for Navaratri Brahmotsavam

Man rapes daughter-in-law with wife's help

Man rapes daughter-in-law with wife's help

Man rapes daughter-in-law with wife's help

Man rapes daughter-in-law with wife's help

Raju faces CBI questioners alone

Raju faces CBI questioners alone

Raju faces CBI questioners alone