Sri Durga Malleswara Swamy Varla Devasthanam, abode of Goddess Kanaka Durga, atop Indrakeeladri, witnessed a massive influx of Bhavani devotees and general pilgrims from the early hours of Sunday (October 25, 2026), with thousands arriving from far-flung places to conclude their Bhavani Deeksha.
The hill shrine was filled with devotees dressed in red, while chants of “Jai Bhavani” reverberated across the temple premises, creating a spiritually charged atmosphere.
The rush began early in the morning, with devotees arriving from both the Ghat Road and Kanaka Durga Nagar routes. The queues grew crowded as the number of pilgrims continued to swell.
In view of the heavy rush, the temple administration introduced several measures to regulate the crowd and facilitate faster darshan for Bhavani devotees and general pilgrims.
As part of these arrangements, Antaralaya Darshan, which allows devotees to enter the inner sanctum, was completely suspended from the morning. Later, following the offering of Maha Nivedana to the presiding deity at noon, the temple authorities cancelled all categories of special-entry darshan tickets as well.
Consequently, only free Sarva Darshan was being permitted, allowing devotees waiting in the queues to have the darshan of Sri Kanaka Durga Devi without purchasing special-entry tickets. The move was aimed at improving the flow of pilgrims and providing greater access to ordinary devotees amid the unprecedented rush.
Temple officials were closely monitoring arrangements to ensure uninterrupted distribution of drinking water to pilgrims waiting in the queues and to prevent inconvenience during the prolonged waiting periods.
Temple Executive Officer V.K. Seena Naik appealed to the devotees to cooperate with the temple staff and security personnel, maintain discipline and follow the prescribed arrangements to ensure a smooth and orderly darshan of the Goddess.
Published - October 25, 2026 11:49 pm IST