Temples in Vijayawada come alive on Mukkoti Ekadasi
The Hindu
Thousands of devotees flock to Vaishnavite and Sivaite temples in Vijayawada on Mukkoti Ekadasi despite COVID-19 cases.
Emergence of a few COVID-19 cases in the State did not deter people from taking part in the festivities on Mukkoti Ekadasi in Vijayawada on Saturday (December 23).
All Vaishnavite temples in the city, including the TTD-run Sri Venkateswara Swamy Temple, Ramlingeswara Swamy Temple in Yanamalakaduru, Venkateswara Swamy temple in Labbipeta, among others, saw a heavy rush of devotees from 5 a.m.. In some temples, the queue lines extended up to a km.
“We saw a footfall of over 12,000 by 7.30 p.m.. Darshan closes at 9 p.m., so we expect it to touch 15,000,” said TTD-run temple’s superintendent Ram Chandra. He added that more than 7,000 people had partaken in the Annadanam organised in the temple.
Rush was seen at the Durga Malleswara Swamywarla Devasthanam, a Sivaite temple, too, in view of the holiday season. As per a temple official, the temple had recorded a footfall of 35,000 by 7.30 p.m. on Saturday. Usually, it hovers around 25,000 during the weekends, he said.
While residents are worried over deaths due to diarrhoea in Vijayawada, officials still grapple to find the root cause. Contaminated drinking water supplied by VMC officials is the reason, insist people in the affected areas, but officials insist that efforts are on to identify the disease and that those with symptoms other than diarrhoea too are visiting the health camps.