Teppotsavam festival, also known as Hamsa Vahana Seva, is
the colorful culmination of Navratri festival at Kanaka Durga Temple in Vijayawada.
Hamsa Vahana Seva 2023 date is October 23. It is held on late September or in the month of October. The annual ritual is
observed on the 9th day of the waxing phase of moon in Ashwin month
(Ashwin Shukla Paksha Navami Tithi).
In the festival deities come down from Indrakeeladri
mountain for a pleasant cruise on the Krishna River. The Hamsa Vahanam is, as
its name indicates, a swan-shaped boat which is decked with flowers and richly
illuminated by lights of different sizes and hues.
The utsava murthis or vigraham (idols) of Sri Ganga, Sri
Parvati (Sri Durga) and Sri Malleswara Swamy are placed on a special mandapam
in the boat. The float makes three rounds on the waters of Krishna River.
The three rounds on the shimmering waters of the Krishna, signifying
‘triloka sancharam’ of the deities, covering their visits to the three lokas
(worlds).
The river festival follows ‘kalyanam’ of Sri Durga and Sri
Malleswara Swamy on Vijayadasami day.
The divine event is witnessed by more than 20,000 people by standing
on the banks of the river and by millions through live telecast.
The One Town Police then take the murtis in a decorated
pallaki and celebrate the Paruvetotsavam. They police take the murtis in a
procession through important streets to One Town Police Station. Here they hold
special pujas to the deities and to their weapons (Ayudha Puja) until day
break.
The murtis are then mounted on a simhasanam and taken to
Jammi Doddi at the foothill of the Indrakeeladri where the principal deity
holds ‘a durbar.’
This is followed by worship of sami or jami tree. It is on
this sacred tree that Pandavas had securely deposited their astras during their
exile.