TIRUMALA: THE annual Brahmotsavams of Lord Venkateswara in Tirumala will be held from September 19, and for the first time, will be performed in ‘Ekantham’, with no public participation due to Covid- 19. All preparations have been made, Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) Trust Board chairman YV Subba Reddy said. Speaking to the media in Tirumala on Friday, along with TTD executive officer (EO) Anil Kumar Singhal, chief priest Venugopala Deekshithulu, and additional EO AV Dharma Reddy, he said Brahmotsavams will commence with dwajarohanam between 6.03 pm and 6.30 pm in Meena Lagnam, as decided by the Agama scholars.
“On Garuda Seva performed on September 23, Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy will offer the traditional ‘pattu vastrams’ to Lord Venkateswara on behalf of the state government. The next day, he and Karnataka CM BS Yediyurappa will have darshan and participate in nada neerajanam before performing bhumi puja for Karnataka Satram in Tirumala,” he said. The chairman said Vahana Sevas will be observed in Kalyanotsavam mandapam from 9 to 10 am and 7 to 8 pm. Garuda seva will be performed from 7 pm to 8.30 pm. In place of swarna ratham and ratharanga dolotsavam, sarva bhoopala vahanam will be used. On September 27, the Brahmotsavams will conclude with chakra snanam. “Vahana sevas and special rituals will be telecast live on SVBC for devotees,” he added.
Initially he refused to discuss politics in Tirumala, but with the media insisting on a clarification on certain issues, particularly the charges made by opposition leader and TDP chief N Chandrababu Naidu, the TTD chairman said Rajya Sabha MP Subramaniam Swamy filed a PIL in the High Court of AP seeking auditing on misappropriation of funds in the TTD during the TDP regime from 2014 to 2019 by an independent agency. “When Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy was consulted, he directed that the financial activities in TTD of not only the previous regime, but also the current regime be audited by the CAG for transparency. Following the CM’s directions, the TTD board resolved to have CAG audit all annual financial activities,” he said. Subba Reddy clarified that no evangelical activity took place at Tirumala.
On the issue of RTC bus tickets carrying ‘yatra marks’ of other religions at Tirumala, he said the tickets took were printed during the TDP regime. With regard to the release of special funds to Visakha Sarada Peetham, he clarified that no special grants were given to Sharda Peetham but funds were given for Loka Kalyan programmes as was done in past, and also to Sharada Peetham. “TTD has been giving funds to nearly 30 religious mutts and institutions which have been doing their bit for the propagation of Hindu Sanatana Dharma,” he added. On the Chief Minister not signing a declaration form, he said people of all religions who have faith in Sri Venkateswara Swamy are coming for Srivari Darshan. He said the middlemen system and corruption entertained by the previous TDP regime have now been eradicated. Singhal said the SVBC could not live telecast the Sri Ram Mandir Bhumi puja at Ayodhya on August 5 as the time of the event clashed with Srivari Nitya Kalyanotsava Seva. He said TTD fixed deposits worth `5,000 crore will mature in December, and a decision on what to do next will be taken then.