TIRUMALA: For the first time in its history, the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) will keep open the sacred Uttara Dwaram of Srivari temple, also called Vaikunta Dwaram, for devotees for 10 days starting Friday. The TTD has made elaborate arrangements to ensure the smooth conduct of Vaikunta Dwara Darshan.
Uttara Dwara Darshan is provided to devotees only on Vaikunta Ekadasi and Dwadasi every year. After consulting Agama pandits, Vedic scholars and 26 Seers and heads of mutts, the TTD decided to keep Uttara Dwaram open till January 3 with their consent this time to facilitate more number of pilgrims have darshan of the Lord.
Though Uttara Dwaram will remain open for 10 days, the number of pilgrims visiting the temple will be restricted in view of Covid. TTD Trust Board Chairman YV Subba Reddy inspected the arrangements for Vaikunta Dwara Darshan at Tirumala and Tirupati on Thursday. Only 30,000 pilgrims who got darshan tickets online, will be allowed to have Vaikunta Dwara Darshan a day strictly as per Covid-19 protocol,” the TTD Chairman said.
The TTD released `300 special entry tickets online from December 6 for Vaikunta Dwara Darshan. About 20,000 tickets are released a day. As many as two lakh tickets have been sold for all the 10 days of Vaikunta Dwara Darshan. About 80 per cent of Srinidhi tickets have also been sold and the prices of all tickets have been increased under the discretionary quota.
Offline darshan tickets issued for local people
Giving priority to people of temple town Tirupati and other places in Chittoor district, the TTD has issued offline darshan tickets for 10,000 locals a day during the 10-day Vaikunta Dwara Darshan