Festive air as idol is consecrated at the Muthyalamma temple

The street leading to Sri Muthyalamma Thalli temple entrance has been lit up, in Kummariguda of Secunderabad on Wednesday.
| Photo Credit: G. RAMAKRISHNA

There was a festive air inside the lane leading up to the Mutyalamma temple in Kummariguda on Wednesday as the idol was consecrated amid chanting of slokas and rituals performed by priests. Two months ago, the temple was desecrated in the early morning hours leading to tension in the area. A video showing the act of desecration led to festering tension where police had to be stationed round the clock for weeks before the tension tapered off.

On Wednesday, there was a large police presence inside the bylanes of the area in Secunderabad right up to the main road near the passport office which was lit up. The street behind the temple remains barricaded with an unused roll of concertina wire.

“The temple looks grander though its size has not changed. I expect more devotees to come,” said Lakshmi who has been living beside the temple for the past 40 years. “We moved here when I was five years old. I grew up here. It was a difficult time when the temple was vandalised, but thankfully it looks better now with clean floor and surroundings,” she said.

The temple which is maintained by a family has been renovated replacing the Kadapa stone flooring with red tiles. It also sports steel grille instead of the iron grille. “We are happy with the change. The dark chapter is closed now,” said a family member unwilling to go on record.

“There is no tension in the area. Our deployment is just to ensure that peace prevails. The situation was back to normal within a fortnight. But we don’t know how long our deployment will last,” said a police official posted at barricade behind the temple.