Thousands throng Quarry Durga Devi temple for Ashada Bonalu in Mancherial

Thousands of devotees thronged the Durga Devi temple at an abandoned quarry of Mancherial Cement Company during the Ashada Bonalu festival, with elaborate arrangements made for crowd management, water, sanitation, and medical services.

Mancherial: Thousands of devotees flocked to Durga Devi temple at an abandoned quarry of Mancherial Cement Company (MCC) on the outskirts of Gadpur village as part of the ongoing Ashadam Bonalu festival on Sunday.

Nearly 30,000 devotees from Mancherial, Mandamarri, Bellampalli, Ramakrishnapur, Srirampur and Luxettipet towns made a beeline to the holy spot and thronged the shrine in serpentine queues. They arrived at the temple by tractors, auto-rickshaws, jeeps and motorbikes.

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The devotees sacrificed chickens and goats as a token of gratitude for the well-being of their family members. They cooked various dishes and dined on the premises of the holy place and surrounding the trees. They spent time in the lap of nature and visited a lake. The sleepy shrine came alive with the arrival of thousands of devotees.

Elaborate arrangements were made by the management of MCC. Barricades were erected as part of crowd management and for controlling traffic, while drinking water facilities and toilets were provided. The medical department erected a stall for providing services. Security measures were taken to avoid untoward incidents.