Brahmotsavams begin sans fanfare at Tirumala

Festivities confined to inner precincts of hill temple due to Covid
Sri Venkateswara temple at Tirumala, dazzling with colourful lights, on the occasion of Salakatla Brahmotsavams. (Photo | EPS)
Sri Venkateswara temple at Tirumala, dazzling with colourful lights, on the occasion of Salakatla Brahmotsavams. (Photo | EPS)

TIRUMALA: The nine-day annual Brahmotsavams of Lord Venkateswara here took off to a religious start with Dwajarohanam (flag hoisting) performed on Saturday evening. The sacred yellow cloth, Dwajapatam, bearing an imprint of Lord Garuda, was hoisted at the auspicious Meena lagnam between 6.03 pm and 6.30 pm amidst the chanting of Vedic hymns by temple priests.

This event heralds the beginning of the nine-day pageantry. Mythology has it that Lord Garuda goes round the temple complex, inviting all heavenly bodies and Rishis to the festival which is performed by Lord Brahma himself. 

In the night, the procession of ‘Pedda Sesha Vahanam’ was organised. Dressed in divine attires, processional idols of Lord Malayappa, along with His Consorts Sri Devi and Bhudevi, were carried within the temple complex on the seven-hooded golden Sesha Vahanam in a procession marking the beginning of vahana sevas.

For the first time in the history of Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD), the nine-day festival is being conducted on a low-key devoid of its usual grandeur in the backdrop of the Covid-19 pandemic. The two-time daily processions of the deities on various vahanams (carriers) that form the nucleus part of the event will also be absent and devotees with valid darshan tickets alone will be allowed to motor up.

The two-time vahana sevas will be organised between 9 am and 10 am and 7 pm and 8 pm every day at Kalyanotsava Mandapam inside the main temple complex. The TTD categorically made it clear that all the religious formalities will be strictly adhered to during the conduct of the festival and there will be no room for any lapse.

In the larger interest of the devout, the management has also resolved to live telecast the religious proceedings on all the days of the festival period. TTD Chairman YV Subba Reddy, EO Anil Kumar Singhal, Additional EO AV Dharma Reddy, CVSO Gopinath Jatti and other officials took part in the fete. 

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