Andhra Pradesh - Vijayawada   

Drop in number of pilgrims visiting Durga temple

Staff Reporter

FOR MOTHER'S GRACE: A woman helps her child light camphor on the steps to Kanakadurga temple atop Indrakeeladri in Vijayawada on Tuesday. — PHOTO: RAJU V.

VIJAYAWADA: Goddess Kanakadurgamma gave darshan to her devotees as `Annapurnadevi' on Indrakeeladri here on the fourth day of the Dasara Navaratri festival on Tuesday. Carrying rice bowls on their heads, women from different places paid their obeisance to the goddess. They distributed `prasadam' outside the temple.

There was a drop in the number of pilgrims visiting the temple, compared to last year.

Though the devasthanam arranged 15 vehicles for the convenience of senior citizens, the physically challenged and VIPs, other pilgrims also scrambled for a place in them. The new practice of collecting money from VIP pass-holders entering into the temple kicked up a row on Tuesday. Chairman of the devasthanam trust board P. Narayana Reddy on Monday asked the employees to collect Rs. 25 per head from the VIP pass-holders from Tuesday onwards, much to the discomfiture of the trust board.

There was an uproar from the pass-holders when the employees began implementing the orders. The board members, who had given the passes to their family members and friends, picked an altercation with temple Executive Officer E. Gopalakrishna Reddy. The devasthanam gave 50 passes each to the board members before the commencement of the festival. Five persons could visit the shrine on each pass in a designated queue. They could also avail themselves of the facility of special transport from irrigation guesthouse to the temple. As the employees began collecting money on the free passes, the board members demanded that the new practice be stopped. After an hour-long meeting, the Executive Officer withdrew the fee.

Printer friendly page  
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Stories in this Section

Many evince interest in township
`Special' show indeed
Race for Deputy Mayor post hots up
Drop in number of pilgrims visiting Durga temple
Eco walk to mark Tourism Day
Man found dead
Youth urged to join `padayatra'
Municipal Commissioner fines `encroachers'
Protector of the devout
Around The City
In Vijayawada Today

Copyright © 2006, The Hindu. Republication or redissemination of the contents of this screen are expressly prohibited without the written consent of The Hindu