Devotees offer ‘mokku’ to Goddess Durga Devi for keeping them safe during recent floods

Flood-affected families from Ajithsingh Nagar offer solemn offerings at Sri Durga Malleswara Swamyvarla Devastanam in thanksgiving.

The family members of the residents of Ajithsingh Nagar, which was ravaged in the recent floods, visited Sri Durga Malleswara Swamyvarla Devastanam on Tuesday and offered ‘mokkus’ (solemn offerings) to the deity.

They offered the ‘mokkus’ by broking coconuts and offering their hair at the ‘kesakandana shala’ in thanksgiving to the goddess for keeping their loved ones safe during the devastating floods

“My sister lives near the Dhabakotlu area in Ajithsingh Nagar. On September 1st morning, we received a phone call informing us that the roads in the area were inundated by floods. We tried in vain to talk to my sister’s family. Later, we saw on the televisions that the entire area was marooned,” said a devotee, Rama Kumari, who came from Dwaraka Tirumala in Eluru district to visit her sister for the Dasara festival.

“My brother Manikanta’s house near Pipula Road was submerged in the floods. I tried to visit my brother during floods, but it was not possible as the entire colony was in water. Then I prayed and made a solemn vow to Goddess Durga Devi to make Her darshan during the Dasara festival if my brother’s family comes out safely from that catastrophe,” said Sriram, a native of Khammam, who offered his ‘mokku’ to the deity atop Indrakeeladri on Tuesday.

“By the grace of Goddess Durga, we are all safe. We had to live on our terrace for three days when flood waters submerged our houses,” said 70-year-old Ramachandra Rao of Ajithsingh Nagar.

Speaking to The Hindu, Collector G. Srijana said that more devotee rush is expected during Dasara Utsavams this year.

“Many families from the neighbouring States, who called on their near and dear ones after the floods, were visiting Indrakeeladri and were performing special pujas,” the Collector said.