Governor Nazeer Prays at Kanaka Durga Temple During Dasara Festivities

During the ongoing Dasara festivities, Justice S. Abdul Nazeer, the Governor of Andhra Pradesh, offered prayers at the prestigious Kanaka Durga Temple situated atop Indrakeeladri Hill. As part of the celebrations, the presiding deity was adorned as Sri Mahalakshmi. The event saw the Governor receive a traditional welcome, complete with temple honors from priests and officials prior to performing special pujas.

The Governor’s visit commenced with a warm reception at the temple’s main entrance, where he was greeted with a purna kumbam. He was then escorted into the sanctum sanctorum by officials from the endowments department, including Hari Jawahar Lal, the chief secretary of endowments, K. Ramachandra Mohan, the commissioner, and V.K. Seena Naik, the executive officer of the temple. Following the rituals, Vedic scholars rendered the Veda Ashervachanam, a traditional blessing, after which Governor Nazeer received a portrait of the goddess and temple prasadam.

Devotee Arrangements and Financial Highlights

After the darshan, the Governor conducted a review of the arrangements made to facilitate the influx of devotees during the festivities. Officials provided updates on ongoing temple development plans and measures implemented to ensure a smooth darshan experience for all pilgrims. Notably, the temple authorities reported revenues amounting to Rs 28.21 lakh from various services, rituals, and sales by 18:00 on October 6, 2023. A significant portion of this revenue was generated through the sale of 19,121 laddu packets priced at Rs 15 each and 23,581 laddu boxes sold at Rs 100 each.

By the same time, the temple had welcomed 90,006 devotees, a number expected to grow as the celebrations continued into the night. The temple administration issued 6,185 safety tags for children to help prevent them from getting lost in the crowd. Additionally, the temple served annaprasadam to 23,656 devotees, emphasizing its commitment to ensuring that all visitors have a fulfilling experience.

Additional Visits and Updates

On the same day, Tripura Governor N. Indrasena Reddy also visited the temple. He was accompanied by local MLAs Yalamanchili Satyanarayana Chowdary, also known as Sujana Chowdary, and Kamineni Srinivas. After offering prayers to the goddess, Reddy remarked that the Navaratri celebrations symbolize the triumph of good over evil.

Temple executive officer V.K. Seena Naik clarified that all ticket-based darshans have been canceled. Instead, the temple is offering free darshan to all devotees, with priority given to common pilgrims, while VIP darshans will be maintained within their designated time slots. Naik urged dignitaries to adhere to the scheduled times to ensure that regular devotees are not inconvenienced during this festive period.