Goddess Annapurna Devi adorned as Shakambari with vegetables

At a temple in Nunna village near Vijayawada, people decorated Goddess Annapurna Devi to look like Shakambari, a form of the Goddess believed to be connected to food and vegetables.

They used around two tonnes of vegetables, fruits and leafy greens for the decoration.

The temple premises and the Goddess's sanctum were covered with these colourful items.

Many devotees came to the temple to see the decoration and seek the Goddess's blessings.

Special prayers and an Abhishekam, a ritual bathing of the deity, were performed.

A mass Kumkum puja, in which devotees offer red powder during prayer, was also held.

The temple's chief priest, Dr Mamillapalli Phanikumar, guided all the rituals.

The prayers were offered for the well-being of devotees, ecological balance and prosperity in agriculture.

The festival marked the end of the Ashada month celebrations and the occasion of Chollangi (Mouni) Amavasya.