TIRUMALA: On the third day of the Brahmotsavams on Saturday, the processional deity of Lord Malayappa Swamy was paraded in a grand procession on the golden Simha Vahanam. The deity sitting in a meditating posture (Yoga Mudra) was cynosure to the thousands of congregated devotees.In a message to the humanity that the offenders and wrong-doers will be punished and the righteous and innocent will be protected the Lord took a ride on Simha - the most ferocious and mightiest of all the animals.
Thousands of devotees queued up all along the mada streets to witness the imperial procession. A battery of Vedic pundits headed by the senior pontiff of the hill temple sporting Dwadasa tilakams all over their bodies marched ahead of the procession. Scores of bhajan and cultural troupes moved behind them offering a feast to the eyes of the congregated devotees.
Meanwhile, TTD’s Hindu Dharma Prachara Parishad organised several cultural and spiritual programmes. Over 100 teams of artistes belonging to various disciplines like dance, kolatam, tappeta gullu and dappu vadhyams entertained the devout.
All the pre-dawn rituals but for Suprabhatam were performed in ‘ekantham’ followed by other religious ceremonies. Later in the night the procession of Muthyapu Pandiri was organised. Lord Malayappa flanked on either side by His two divine consorts and seated atop the pearl-bedecked palanquin was taken out in a grand procession around the shrine. The deities attired in resplendent white pearls robes (signifying purity, peace, love and co-existence) offered a visual feast to the assembled devotees.
Grand spectacle
On the third day of the nine-day fete, the deity was taken on ‘Simha Vahanam’ around the temple precincts. Led by the elephants, horses and bulls forming part of the temple paraphernalia, the procession of the deity on the celestial carrier ‘Simha’ attracted the attention of one and all. With the milky white moon on the evening sky dazzling the pearls, the procession on ‘Muthyapu Pandiri Vahanam’ turned out to be a grand spectacle.