Sri Kanakamahalakshmi Temple, Visakhapatnam

Goddess Sri Kanakamalalakshmi is the presiding deity of the Visakhapatnam locals. It is believed that Goddess Sri Kanakamalahshmi is considered the family deity of rulers of this area and the present location of the temple was in the rampars of their fort. People believe that the area gained the name of Burujupeta since it is in this area that the ramparts of the fort existed in the past. The idol (bust of Goddess) was located in the middle of a narrow street in Burujupeta. Unlike in other temples in Andhra Pradesh, if not in South India, that the devotees can directly worship the deity. It is a practice completely different from any other temple where the devotees can only come up to the sanctum sanctorum but cannot enter it. A devotee can break a coconut and pour the water on the idol, apply kumkum and turmeric himself or herself. It is common that milk abishekam being performed by devotees. The temple priest do perform the daily puja and other rituals but the devotees worship the Goddess on their own. Thursday is the most auspicious day for the Goddess and thousands throng the temple every Thursday.

The month of Margasira according to Hindu calendar (observed as Margasira Masam) that generally comes during November-December every year is considered the most auspicious one and perhaps this is why the annual celebrations of Goddess Sri Kanakamalalakshmi said to be an incarnation of Goddess Lakshmi are organized at the temple. The festivities began with fervor on the morning with the traditional nadaswar followed by panchamrutabhishekam and sahasranama kumkum puja. Later, the abishekam to the Goddess was performed with milk, followed by pujas in the after afternoon and evening. Recital of Lalitha Sahasranamam in the morning, rendering of Annamayya kritis, Harikahtha and devotional music programme in the evening were organized. Thousands of devotees offered worship on the opening day and the devotional fervor continues for the rest of the month. Especially on Thursday nearly two lakh devotees throng the temple to have darshan. Besides, panchamruthabhishekam and ksheerabhisheka seva, special programmes like recital of the Bhagavad-Gita, Sapthasathi and Mahavidya, Lakshmi homam and Srichakrapuja are being conducted during the month.

A unique feature this year is the Ashtalakshmi alankaram from December 22 to 30 at the temple premises. This year, the Ashtalakshmi idols at the Anivetti Mandapam have comes as a pleasant surprise. Moulded in concrete, they are set up close to the roof in two rows on either side of the sanctum sanctorum. There are ten new idols. Besides the beautiful Ashtalakshmis, there is an idol of Sri Kanakamalalakshmi towards north and facing Her is Sri Rajarajeswari Devi on the south beginning form the sanctum sanctorum and the eight Lakshmi idols are distributed equally beside the two idols.

Sahasra Nama Pooja

5:00 AM to 6:30 AM

Balabhogam

6:30 AM

Sarva Darshan

6:30 AM to 12:00 Noon

Raja Bhogam

12:00 Noon

Sarava Darshan

12:15 Noon to 6:00 PM

Astottaram

6:00 PM to 7:00 PM