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Dasara festivities: Queue line works begin
Durga Temple EO D Bhramarambha, Temple Trust Board Chairman K Rambabu and others performing puja to commence queue line works at Durga Malleswara Swamy temple in Vijayawada on Sunday
9-day Dasara celebrations from October 15 to 23
Vijayawada: In view of the upcoming Dasara festivities, Sri Durga Malleswara Swamy Devasthanam authorities have commenced queue line erection works. Like every year, the authorities have started the works at Vinayaka temple near Vijayawada Municipal Corporation. Temple Trust Board Chairman Karnati Rambabu, EO D Bhramarambha and Vedic Committee member Sankar Sandilya began the works after performing special puja to Goddess Sri Kanaka Durga portrait here on Sunday. Later, they also commenced the same queue line arrangement works at ‘Om’ turning point by performing puja.
It is learnt that this year Dasara festivities will be celebrated for nine days, (Last year, the celebrations were held for 10 days) as per Telugu Almanac. The celebrations will start on October 15 and continue till October 23.
Meanwhile, this year the festivities expenditure is estimated to be around Rs 5 to Rs 6 crore and it may increase or decrease. After holding a review meeting with the departments concerned, the temple authorities will finalise the outlay and other arrangement details of the Dasara fete.
Devotees’ concerns over darshan ticket prices
The Endowments department and temple authorities hiked Darshan ticket prices last year. They introduced Rs 500 ticket in the name of VIP ticket to provide Antharalaya darshan. Consequently, from then onwards devotees were not allowed to have Antharalaya darshan with Rs 300 ticket. After introducing Rs 500 ticket, Rs 300 ticket was confined to having Goddess darshan from the first door.
Since then thousands of devotees visiting the temple are expressing anger at the temple authorities for increasing ticket prices. This ticket hiking controversy is continuing.
The temple authorities and the district administration are going to conduct a review meeting in a few days over the ensuing Dasara festivities. The Endowments Minister is likely to participate in this meeting. The devotees are assuming that once again darshan ticket prices could be hiked and the authorities can take a decision of increasing the prices again during the meeting.
