Vijayawada Dasara ends with traditional Teppotsavam boat ride of Goddess Kanaka Durga

The final day of Vijayawada’s Dasara celebrations saw the traditional Teppotsavam, a celestial boat ride of goddess Kanaka Durga and her consort Malleswara Swamy, on the Krishna River.

Event

The Hamsa Vahanam, a swan‑shaped boat decorated and lit for the occasion, carried the deities from Durga Ghat to Punnami Ghat as the sun set. Thousands of devotees gathered along the riverbanks and near the Prakasam Barrage, chanting "Bhavani Mata Ki Jai" while priests recited Vedic hymns.

Safety Measures

Temple authorities released water from the Prakasam Barrage and monitored upstream inflows to keep the crowd safe. In the past two years floodwaters prevented the prescribed three rounds of the boat ride, so the ritual was limited to an anchored boat. This year the full ceremony proceeded, with One Town police escorting the deities in a palanquin from the hillock to the riverbank.

Governor's Visit

Governor S. Abdul Nazeer arrived on Tuesday, offered prayers to the goddess adorned as Sri Rajarajeshwari Devi, and received Vedic blessings at the Ashirvachana Mandapam. Endowments Secretary K. Kannababu, Commissioner K. Ramachandra Mohan, trust board chairman Borra Radhakrishna and Executive Officer V.K. Seena Naik presented him with the deity’s ceremonial robes, prasadam and a portrait.

Context

The Teppotsavam is a key part of the nine‑day Dasara festival and is performed only when river conditions permit, making the successful full ceremony this year a notable return to tradition.