TIRUMALA: The Navaratri Brahmotsavams of Lord Venkateswara began in ‘ekantham’ on Friday due to Covid-19 restrictions.The Brahmotsavams were being celebrated on a low-key note, devoid of the usual fanfare.
With the TTD deciding to confine the festivities to the inner portals of the main temple complex in strict adherence to the Covid-19 protocol, the processional deities of Lord Malayappa Swamy and His two consorts Sridevi and Bhudevi were taken in a golden Tiruchi (palanquin) around the ‘Vimana Prakaram’ encircling the sanctum sanctorum along with the ‘parivara devathas’ such as Anantha, Garuda, Chakra, and Viswaksena, besides the ‘dwaja patam’. This was immediately followed by Asthanam to the deities at the Ranganayakula Mandapam inside the temple complex.
Later in the night, dressed as ‘Govindaraja Swamy’, Lord Malayappa Swamy along with His two consorts Sridevi and Bhudevi was taken out on the seven-hooded ‘Pedda Sesha Vahanam’ from Ranganayakula Mandapam to Kalyana Mandapam inside the temple at 7 pm, marking the beginning of the ‘vahana sevas’.
Seated on the glittering carrier, the processional deity majestically rode the vahanam.
TTD EO Dr K S Jawahar Reddy, Tirumala pontiffs Pedda Jeeyar Swamy and Chinna Jeeyar Swamy, MP Vemireddy Prabhakar Reddy, Additional EO AV Dharma Reddy, TTD board members DP Anant and Prashanti Reddy, chief archaka Venugopala Dikshitulu, Kankanabhattar Ramakrishna Dikshitulu were also present.