Dasara preparations in full swing at Indrakeeladri

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.