Dasara festival preparations begin at Indrakeeladri temple

Preparations are in full swing for the grand Dasara Mahotsavams to be held from September 22 to October 2 at the famous Sri Durga Malleswara Swamyvarla Devasthanam on Indrakeeladri.

Endowments Minister Anam Ramanarayana Reddy chaired a review meeting at the Jammidoddi Meeting Hall in One Town, Vijayawada.

He emphasised that this year the festival should surpass previous years in grandeur, in line with Chief Minister’s instructions to make the celebrations prestigious. He announced free laddu prasadam would be distributed to all devotees on Moola Nakshatram and Vijaya Dasami days.

He said: “Every department must ensure spiritual readiness with focus on easy access to drinking water, and annaprasadam. Ordinary devotees must receive top priority in darshan arrangements.”

He also directed that Prakasam Barrage and the temple surroundings be illuminated beautifully, and stressed the importance of well-organised Vedic rituals, to be led by priests, the Vedic committee, and the chief archakas. He added that Krishna Harati during Dasara should be conducted with grandeur.

Vijayawada (East) MLA Y. Satyanarayana (Sujana) Chowdary, stressed the need for advance arrangements, particularly in sanitation. He suggested seeking donor support and urged officials to ensure that the festival enhances Vijayawada’s reputation. He also called for close monitoring of festival expenses to avoid overruns.

With thousands of devotees expected daily, officials assured that all arrangements—from security to prasadam distribution—will be carried out smoothly to uphold the sanctity and tradition of the famed Dasara celebrations.

NTR District Collector Lakshmi Sha, Police Commissioner Rajasekhar Babu, Municipal Commissioner Dhyanachand, Endowments Commissioner Ramachandra Mohan, Temple EO Seena Nayak, and senior officials from various departments were present.