Vijayawada, October 14, 2026: President Droupadi Murmu visited the Sri Durga Malleswara Swamy Varla Devasthanam atop Indrakeeladri hill in Vijayawada, Andhra Pradesh, on Wednesday evening and had darshan of Sri Kanaka Durga Devi and Sri Malleswara Swamy.
The President arrived at Vijayawada International Airport at Gannavaram by a special aircraft from Delhi at approximately 6.10 pm. She was received by Governor S. Abdul Nazeer, Union Ministers of State Pemmasani Chandrasekhar and Kamlesh Paswan, State Ministers Kollu Ravindra and Vangalapudi Anitha, Chief Secretary G. Sai Prasad, Director General of Police Harish Kumar Gupta, and other senior officials.
From the airport, she proceeded directly by road to the hilltop shrine. At the temple, she was accorded a traditional welcome with Poorna Kumbham amid Vedic chants and auspicious temple music. Home Minister Vangalapudi Anitha, Vijayawada MP Kesineni Sivanath (Chinni), Temple Trust Board Chairman Borra Radhakrishna, and Executive Officer V.K. Seena Naik received her. The President greeted devotees waiting in the queues before entering the shrine.
Priests and Vedic scholars escorted her into the sanctum sanctorum. Goddess Kanaka Durga was adorned as Sri Maha Chandi Devi for the occasion as part of the ongoing Dasara Navaratri festivities. The President offered special prayers and spent about eight minutes in worship. The temple premises had been decorated with flowers for the visit. Following the darshan, Vedic scholars offered blessings at the Ashirvachana Mandapam and presented prasadam. Temple Executive Officer Seena Naik presented a portrait of the Goddess, while Minister Anitha offered sacred silk robes. She was also presented with laddu prasadam and other traditional offerings.
The visit formed part of a two-day official tour of Andhra Pradesh coinciding with the Dasara Navaratri Utsavams. On Thursday, October 15, the President is scheduled to inaugurate the National Saras Aajeevika Mela at Punnami Ghat on the banks of the Krishna River as chief guest (11.30 am to 1 pm). The mela, organised jointly by the Union Ministry of Rural Development and the Andhra Pradesh government under the Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana–National Rural Livelihoods Mission (DAY-NRLM), aims to promote products of rural artisans and women-led self-help groups. She will subsequently attend a luncheon with members of self-help groups and Lakhpati Didis before departing for New Delhi from Gannavaram Airport.
The official account of the President of India confirmed the visit, stating: “President Droupadi Murmu visited Sri Durga Malleswara Swamy Varla Devasthanam in Vijayawada, Andhra Pradesh and had darshan of Sri Kanaka Durga Devi and Sri Malleswara Swamy.”
Sri Durga Malleswara Swamy Varla Devasthanam, popularly known as the Kanaka Durga Temple, is a major Shakti shrine located on Indrakeeladri hill overlooking the Krishna River. The deities are regarded as Swayambhu (self-manifested). The temple draws large numbers of devotees, particularly during Navaratri, when the Goddess is adorned in different alankarams each day.
