TIRUMALA: The living God, Sun, reached the sacred hill shrine of Tirumala, on Wednesday, the seventh day of the ongoing Salakatla Brahmotsavams, when Lord Venkateswara in the form of Lord Sriman Narayana rode the Surya Prabha Vahanam to bless the devotees in the four Mada Streets.
Lord Venkateswara rides the Surya Prabha Vahanam after the first rays of the Sun reach the earth.The priests wait at the corner for the festivities to commence after the Sun’s rays reach the shrine. Firstly, the priests conduct poojas to the Sun God and prepare for the procession to carry the deity.
Legend has it that Lord Sriman Narayana lies in the midst of Surya Mandala which is the Sun’s sphere in the cosmos, wearing a diamond gauntlet, seated majestically atop the Surya Prabha Vahanam driven by seven horses. Scores of devotees had darshan and offered harathi to the Lord.
TTD EO Anil Kumar Singhal, JEO KS Sreenivasa Raju, Board members Rayapati Sambasiva Rao, Sudha Narayanamurthy, Ashok Reddy, Addl CVSO Sivakumar Reddy, VGO Ravindra Reddy, temple DyEO Haridranath and others were present.
The tradition
The Lord rides the Surya Prabha Vahanam after the first rays of the Sun reach the earth. Priests wait at the corner for the festivities to begin after the Sun’s rays reach the shrine