Tirumala temple sees lowest devotee footfall in 50 years

On an average, 78,000 people receive darshan of the Lord every day.
Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanam (File photo|EPS)
Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanam (File photo|EPS)

TIRUPATI: The ghat roads connecting Tirupati and Tirumala wore a deserted look on Wednesday, with the otherwise bustling Sri Venkateswara Temple registering the lowest devotee footfall in five decades.

The hill shrine is being opened to the public for a very limited number of hours since August 11 as Ashta Bandhana Balalaya Maha Samprokshanam is in full swing. Darshan timings will remain the same until Thursday, when the purification ritual held once in 12 years ends. On an average, 78,000 people receive darshan of the Lord every day.

The TTD administration had initially planned to close entry to all devotees until the conclusion of Maha Samprokshanam but reviewed its decision after the intervention of Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu. The cleansing of the temple complex commenced on August 11. Though mandala krathuvu lasts 41 days, the main purification activity lasts just six days.

“During thula lagnam on Thursday from 10.16 am to 12 noon, the main segment of the Ashta Bandhana Balalaya Maha Samprokshanam will conclude after bringing back the ‘power’ of the Lord from a golden pot to the main idol,’’ a source said. Since August 11, Alipiri toll gate has been recording 8 per cent to 12 per cent vehicular traffic between Tirumala and Triupati. The gate controlled by the TTD on an average witnesses the movement of around 10,000 vehicles per day.

The slump
Rs 73 lakh hundi collection dips drastically on August 12 as against an average of Rs 2.35 crore
Devotee footfall to rise after August 16, last day of Maha Samprok shanam

Related Stories

No stories found.
The New Indian Express
www.newindianexpress.com