TIRUPATI: The Navaratri Brahmotsavams of Lord Venkateswara began on a colourful note with the conduct of the celestial Dwajarohanam on Thursday. The Dwajapatam — a sacred yellow cloth with an imprint of Lord Garuda — was first rendered special rituals followed by a procession of Lord Malayappa Swamy inside the hill temple.
Amidst the chanting of vedic hymns by the Jeeyar swamis and their disciples, the chief priest of the Tirumala temple accompanied by a battery of other priests hoisted the Garuda Dwajapatam on the Dwajasthambham, marking the commencement of the nine-day festival of the Lord of the Seven Hills. The annual festival will be a low-key affair this year too due to the fears of a possible third wave of Covid-19.
There would be no procession of Lord Malayappa Swamy on the four mada streets this year too as all the Brahmotsavams festivities will be restricted within the hill temple and performed in ‘ekantham’ without the participation of devotees. Meanwhile, the first meeting of the new TTD trust board under the chairmanship of YV Subba Reddy was held at Annamayya bhavan in Tirumala on Thursday.
