The spiritual fervor of Navaratri Utsav, the nine-day Dasara festival, has officially begun, drawing immense crowds to temples dedicated to Goddess Durga. In Srikakulam district, the sacred Vinayaka Panchayatana Alayam temple in P.N. Colony was abuzz with activity. Devotees reverently offered special prayers to various divine manifestations of Goddess Durga, including Jnana Saraswati, Lalita Tripura Sundara Devi, and Astalakshmi. Temple trustee P. Jagan Mohana Rao ensured that elaborate arrangements were in place for the grand celebrations. Meanwhile, in Kushalapuram village, the Devi ashram was the site of profound spiritual observances, featuring the powerful Chandi Homam and other significant rituals.
Sura Srinivasa Rao, founder of the S.S.R. Charitable Trust, announced a packed schedule of cultural and spiritual events set to run throughout the Dasara festival. Adding a unique artistic touch to the festivities, Srikakulam-based artist Rahul Patnaik crafted a stunning miniature painting of Goddess Durga on a delicate peacock feather. Further south, in Vizianagaram, the Sri Ganapati Kameswari Sahita Gayatri temple was adorned with a vibrant, festive look on the inaugural day. P.V. Ganesh, the temple trustee and a respected senior advocate, shared that the temple’s presiding deity will be majestically decorated in various divine forms over the course of the nine-day celebration.