TIRUMALA: As part of the ongoing Brahmotsavam festival, the Golden Umbrella festival was grandly celebrated here on Friday.
As part of the age-old custom, the staff of the Kalyanakatta (barbers) ceremonially install a brand new Golden Umbrella ahead of the prestigious and auspicious Rathotsavam event at Tirumala on Saturday morning. The heirs of the Pantulu family have been presenting a Golden Umbrella to Lord Venkateswara since the days of Sri Krishnadevaraya of the Vijayanagara Empire.
In the initial days it was made of wood. But in 1952, wooden Umbrella was replaced with Golden Umbrella. Panthulugari Ramanathan, descendant of the Pantulu family presented the umbrella at a ceremony on Friday evening.
TTD Executive Officer Anil Kumar Singhal, Tirumala Joint Executive Officer K S Sreenivasa Raju and Chief Vigilance and Security Officer Ake Ravikrishna were also present.