TIRUPATI: The annual Brahmotsavams will commence at the Lord Venkateswara temple in Tirumala with the Dwajarohanam (hoisting of temple flag) on Thursday. The nine-day festival – which attracts lakhs of devotees from across the country – will be held in ‘ekantham’ (solitude) this year too due to the Covid-19 pandemic. TTD chairman YV Subba Reddy told reporters that the temple body had initially planned to organise the festival in a big way
“But the threat of a possible third wave of Covid-19 forced us to conduct the festival in ekantham this year too,” he said, adding that the TTD will live telecast all the events and vahana sevas through its SVB channel.
Chief minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy will be in Tirumala on October 11 and 12. “The CM will offer silk vastrams on behalf of the state government on Garuda Seva day (Oct 11). Earlier during the day, he will inaugurate a paediatric cardiac hospital, the Saptha Gau Pradakshina mandir, and the renovated Alipiri footpath. On Oct 12, the chief minister will inaugurate the new Boondi complex and also launch the SVB’s Hindi and Kannada language channels,” Subba Reddy added.
Meanwhile, the temple body has appealed to devotees not to approach touts, taxi drivers and others for darshan tickets.
TTD’s chief vigilance and security officer Gopinath Jatti said after the issuance of 300 special entry darshan and slotted sarva darshan tickets were moved from current booking mode to online mode, touts and taxi drivers have been duping devotees coming in an unplanned manner to the temple city by selling them fake darshan tickets at exorbitant rates.
“Many devotees are not aware that all darshan tickets have to be booked a month in advance online. Darshan tickets should be booked only through the official TTD website,” Jatti said.
