Sri Durga Malleswara Swamyvarla Devasthanam has begun making arrangements for conducting the Dasara festival which is little over a month away. The Dasara festival will be organised from October 7 to 15 this year.
Temple authorities estimate that over ₹1.34 crore will be required for making necessary arrangements such as tents, queue lines, transportation, lighting and the decoration of the ‘Hamsa Vahanam’.
Authorities have already invited tenders for the works costing less than ₹10 lakh. Proposals for the remaining works have been sent to the Endowments Commissioner for approval. Authorities are planning to invite tenders in a week’s time and are awaiting clearance of proposals, a senior official said.
The work orders for Hamsa Vahanam, a special boat built in the shape of a mythical swan, were issued. It is estimated that the Hamsa vahanam would cost around ₹6 lakh. Temple priests take out the Utsav Vigrahams (processional deities) of Goddess Durga and Lord Mallikarjuna Swamy for ‘Nadi Viharam’ (celestial boat ride) on the Krishna on the concluding day of the festivities.
Devasthanam authorities are making arrangements for a hassle-free darshan during Dasara festivities. A 1.5 km-long queue line would come up from the Vinayaka temple on Canal Road to the Kanaka Durga temple atop Indrakeeladri. Officials are planning three queue lines — a free darshan line, one ₹100-ticket line and a ₹300-ticket line — for darshan of the presiding deity.
It is estimated that erection of queue lines would cost ₹22 lakh, sources said.
The Devasthanam is planning to erect tents for the convenience of pilgrims at various locations, which is estimated to cost ₹12.50 lakh. Likewise, temporary illumination of the temple precincts, canal
road, and ghats would cost around ₹25 lakh. The transportation facilities would cost ₹8 lakh. Devasthanam authorities have planned to provide shower baths at Sitammavari paadaalu. Around 80 showers would be erected there, which would cost ₹1 lakh for the same. At present, permanent shower baths are available at the Durga Ghat. To meet the pilgrim rush, additional shower baths are being provided at Sitammavari paadaalu, officials said.
Formation of queues, Annadanam, water supply, ghat road electrification, cloak rooms, shoe stands, toilets, and temporary dressing rooms are some of the arrangements being made for the devotees. The festivities organised last year were a low-key affair due to the COVID pandemic.
