Sri Durga Malleswara Swamyvarla Devasthanam is decked up for three-day Sakambari festival which begins from Wednesday. The temple authorities have made elaborate arrangements to transform presiding deity goddess Kanaka Durga into Sakambari.
A host of rituals are planned for the festival. Chandi Parayana, Chandi Homam, Santi Poushtika Homam etc would be performed for the well-being of the people.
“We are organising the Sakambari festival in a grand and majestic manner. There is a good response from the traders and devotees for the three-day celebrations,” according to temple Executive Officer Ch. Narsing Rao.
The temple is receiving donation in cash and in kind for the festival. The devotees and traders are donating vegetables and fruits in huge quantities. Kanaka Durga temple already received more than 8 tonnes of vegetables. And another 12 tonnes are expected during the festival. Last year, the temple received 15 tonnes of vegetables, he said.
Vijayawada Rajiv Gandhi Wholesale Market, Guntur Wholesale Vegetable Market, Villagers of China Ogirala, Kedareswarapeta Fruit Market, etc have evinced interest in donating the vegetables and fruits. It was expected that they would donate 15 tonnes, he said.
During the previous years, the temple received vegetables in bulk quantities even before the festival began. The devotees from several places in the State are thronging the temple to offer many kinds of vegetables, including carrots, lady’s fingers, cabbage and tomatoes. Many varieties of fruits and flowers were also used as ornaments to deck up the deity.
Curry leaves and coriander are widely used in decoration of the temple. However, there is a shortfall of leafy vegetables this year. The temple authorities are planning to buy the leafy vegetables from local market. Also, Bangalore capsicum and Bangalore tomatoes are not donated so far. The festival is being celebrated from 2007 to propitiate the deity for good rains, bountiful harvest and copious yields of vegetables.
Mr. Narsing Rao said that the donors could contact B.V. Reddy on 9000030477, K. Vijay Kumar on 9849656558 or G. Satish Kumar on 9440229594 on donations. The devotees were requested to take receipts for their donations, he said.
