VIJAYAWADA: AMID much fanfare, the replica temple of Lord Venkateswara constructed by the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) on the PWD grounds in Vijayawada was inaugurated on Sunday morning.
Amid the chanting of Vedic hymns by Agama pundits and temple priests, the Maha Samprokshanam ceremony was performed in a grand manner by performing special homam, nivedana and etc.
After the ritual were over, the temple was opened for darshan and several hundreds of people offered prayers to the Lord in the first few hours.
Kanchi Mutt pontiff Sri Jayendra Saraswathi graced the opening ceremony and complimented TTD for playing an active role in promoting the Sanatana Dharma.
Speaking on this occasion, TTD Executive Officer D Sambasiva Rao said as the temple was opened five days prior to the Krishna Pushkarams to facilitate hassle-free darshan for local devotees.
“All rituals will be performed till the completion of Pushkarams. There will be Unjal Seva of the Lord and His consorts on the well decked swing set up on the temple premises. The Pushkara Harati will also be offered daily at the Padmavathi Ghat,” he said, adding that the TTD had made elaborate arrangements to distribute free food to one lakh devotees daily during Pushkarams.
TTD joint EO KS Sreenivasa Raju, who is also special officer for Pushkarams said that the pilgrims can have a hassle-free darshan in four queue lines with separate entry and exit points. “The annaprasadam and small laddus will also be distributed to pilgrims after darshan. We have organised devotional cultural programmes in Amaravati, PWD Grounds, Srikakulam Andhra Maha Vishnu temple too,” he said.