The Kanaka Durga Temple in Vijayawada, Andhra Pradesh, is one of the most revered shrines dedicated to Goddess Durga in South India. It is perched on the Indrakeeladri hill on the banks of the Krishna River, making it not only a spiritual destination but also a scenic one.
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Above image: Kanaka Durga Temple is located on the Indrakeeladri hill, Vijayawada, Andhra Pradesh and is a popular place of worship and of spiritual significance..........
Historical & Mythological Significance
According to tradition, the idol of Goddess Kanaka Durga at Indrakeeladri is considered Swayambhu (self-manifested), meaning it was not manmade but emerged on its own. One legend says that in earlier times the hills inhibited the eastward flow of Krishna river. To remedy this, Lord Shiva bored tunnels through the rocky hills (called “Bejjam”), allowing the river to flow freely. This event is sometimes connected to the old name Bezawada (Bejawada).
Another tale links the temple to Arjuna, who is believed to have performed severe penance at the top of Indrakeeladri to please Lord Shiva and receive a celestial weapon (Astra). After his victory, the city was named “Vijayawada.”
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Above image: Dasara Navaratri is known as Devi Navaratrulu / Sharad Navaratrulu by the people of Andhra Pradeshisquite popular. Durgamma is dressed in different forms known as 'Alankaram' and is worshiped in different names. Sharad Navaratri Utsavalu start with the Kalasha Sthapana Pooja........
The principal myth is the slaying of Mahishasura by the Goddess. Sage Indrakila is said to have prayed for protection, and Durga took residence here, vanquishing the demon king and making the hill her abode.
The temple also houses sub-shrines of Malleswara (Shiva), Nataraja, Kartikeya, Valli & Devasena, Hanuman, and others.
Inscriptions from various eras—including a 13th-century Chola-era Telugu inscription—testify to the antiquity and evolving patronage of this shrine.
Rituals, Festivals & Worship
Daily worship includes traditional pujas, abhishekams (ritual baths), “Alankaram” (decorations with flowers and ornaments), and aratis. The goddess is adorned each day with jeweled ornaments, garments, and fresh flowers.
Navaratri / Dasara is the grandest festival here. Over the ten days, the deity is presented in different forms (avatars)—for example, Swarna Kavacha, Bala Tripura Sundari, Annapurna, Gayatri, Lalita Tripura Sundari, Saraswati, Mahalakshmi, Durga, Mahishasura Mardini, and Raja Rajeswari. During the festival, devotees also take a holy dip in the Krishna River from the temple ghats. Devotees thronged the Durga temple atop Indrakeeladri from the early hours of Thursday to worship Goddess Kanaka Durga Durga Devi in her Katyayani Devi avatar, marking the fourthday ofthe 11day dasara celebration
Another important festival is the Shakambari / Sakambhari festival (celebrated during the Ashadha month), where the goddess is worshipped in the form of vegetation and nourishment, with offerings of fruits and vegetables and prayers for prosperity.
Being located in the heart of Vijayawada, the temple is approximately 10 minutes from the railway station and bus stand, and about 20 km from the airport. Temple buses run every 20 minutes from transit hubs for pilgrims. To ease traffic, a six-lane flyover / road network known as the Kanakadurga Flyover (spanning the Krishna River and portions of Prakasam Barrage) was completed in 2020, helping vehicular movement around the temple area.
In 2025, a major redevelopment plan (under Andhra Pradesh’s Vision 2029) was announced, with an estimated budget of ₹100 crores. The idea is to address infrastructure constraints like traffic, pedestrian access, parking, accommodation, sanitation, and crowd management.
Key features proposed include: Multi-level parking at Kanaka Durga Nagar. A six-lane approach road. A dedicated bus terminal, Smart traffic & pedestrian walkways, Beautification (landscaping, green zones, fountains, parks),3D modelling of the temple surroundings to fine-tune design interventions
Already, several projects are underway: a 4-story Annadanam (free meal) building, a multi-floor Prasadam processing & packaging facility, safety works on the Omkaram Turn (rock mitigation), water facilities, permanent sheds, stainless benches, and gold-plating of the Shiva temple flagpole. Some of these are targeted for completion in 2025 or 2026. Also, new multi-service counters are being planned at the railway station, bus stand, guest houses, etc., so that devotees can avail temple services (seva tickets, prasadam, donations) at transit points and reduce congestion at the temple itself.
Another recent change: The temple has instituted a strict ban on mobile phones within its inner premises (even for VIPs and staff), following prior incidents of unauthorized photography or video recording. Phones must be deposited at designated counters before entry.
Significance & Contemporary Relevance
Kanaka Durga Temple is not only a nodal place of worship but also a cultural landmark of Vijayawada. It draws about 1.5 crore devotees annually. Its upgrade under the Vision 2029 plan aims to turn the temple precinct into a model spiritual tourism destination that balances ritual sanctity with modern visitor comfort.
During the recent Dasara festival (2025), the temple saw massive devotion: on the fourth day, in the rare Katyayani Devi avatar (performed after ten years), over 66,000 devotees had darshan by 5 p.m., and revenue from tickets and sevas crossed ₹29.63 lakh.
However, nature also plays a role in temple logistics: heavy rains upstream have disrupted river flow and associated festivities, affecting rituals at the ghats and crowd movement.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kanaka_Durga_Temple?utm_source=chatgpt.com
https://kanakadurgamma.org/en-in/home
https://www.chivukulas.com/2019/07/dussehra-celebrations-at-kanaka-durgamma-temple-vijayawada.html
