The Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (Photo | EPS)
TIRUMALA: The Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) has decided to shift the room allotment system to Tirupati and change VIP Break Darshan timings to 10 am for the benefit of common devotees, Executive Officer AV Dharma Reddy announced during the monthly Dial Your EO programme held at Annamaiah Bhavan in Tirumala on Sunday.
Stating that the changes have been made on a trial basis, the EO explained that devotees who don’t get rooms in Tirumala can find accommodation in Tirupati once the room allotment system is shifted. On changing the VIP Break Darshan timings, Dharma Reddy said common devotees waiting in the compartments all night for early morning Srivari darshan will be benefitted.
Referring to the QR code system introduced for Srivari Sevakulu to locate their point of service, the EO said the method proved successful and that it would soon be replicated for devotees also.Further, the official announced that a five-day fete of Sri Venkateshwara Vaibhavotsavam will be conducted from October 11 to 15 at NTR Stadium in Hyderabad to showcase Srivari temple’s Nitya Kainkaryas (including vahana sevas, utsavas) to devotees from other regions.
The programme includes Vasantotsavam on October 11, Sahasra Kalashabhisekam on October 12, Tiruppavadai on October 13, Abhishekam, Nija Pada Darshan on October 14 and Srinivasa Kalyanam on October 15. Similarly, Vaibhavotsavam events will be held in Ongole and Delhi in December and February, respectively.
The EO also said that the TTD will organise Karthika Deepotsavam fete at Visakhapatnam and Yaganti in Kurnool district during Karthika Masam. He added that the Trust plans to conduct the Maha Samprokshana fete at Sri Padmavati Temple in Chennai and Srivari temple in Jammu and Kashmir during Uttarayan (Sankranti).
He also announced that the Gujarat government has granted five acres for the construction of Srivari temple in Ahmedabad.Stating that close to three lakh people had darshan of Srivari Garuda Seva Darshan on October 1, the EO said a total of 1,906 artistes from seven states enthralled devotees with their cultural shows during the nine-day fete.
As many as 6,997 poor devotees from 26 districts were brought to Tirumala in 147 buses and provided free Srivari Brahmotsavams Mula Murti Darshan.On the availability of calenders, released by Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy during Brahmotsavams, the EO said 13 lakh copies of 12-page calendars, 50,000 copies of 8-page calendars, eight lakh big diaries, 1.50 lakh small calendars, 2.5 lakh tabletop calendars, 3.5 lakh TTD big calendars and 2.5 lakh copies of Telugu Panchangam are being made available at TTD book stalls in Tirumala and Tirupati.
Devotee crowd swells; at least 50K offer prayers
Heavy pilgrim rush continued Srivari temple in Tirumala on Sunday. Around 50,000 devotees had darshan by 3 pm. The TTD EO said the third Purattasi Saturday saw a heavy crowd, stretching the waiting time up to 48 hours
