TIRUMALA: The Vaikunta Ekadasi festivities were held with utmost religious fervour in Tirumala as Lord Malayappa Swamy was taken in a procession on Swarna Ratham on Thursday. Amid devotional chanting, the Vaikunta Dwara Darshanam commenced at 7:30 am.
Women devotees including 200 employees from the TTD, pulled the richly decorated mammoth golden chariot. The chariot glided swiftly along the four Mada streets even as the devotees who assembled in the galleries immersed in Bhakti.
As many as 3,500 VIP devotees had darshan of Lord Venkateswara through Sri Vani Trust, after donating Rs 10,000 per head. The donations through Sri Vani Trust fetched a revenue of Rs 3.5 crore to the TTD.
As many as 20,000 devotees had darshan through Rs 300 special darshan ticket. The TTD earned a revenue of Rs 60 lakh through the special darshan tickets. The TTD also issued Rs 1000 VIP break darshan tickets to 3,500 devotees.
CJI offers prayers
Chief Justice of India NV Ramana had Vaikunta Dwara Darshanam on Thursday. On his arrival at the Mahadwaram (main entrance), the CJI was welcomed by TTD EO Dr. KS Jawahar Reddy and Additional EO AV Dharma Reddy.
During the darshan, Justice N V Ramana was accompanied by TTD Trust Board Chairman YV Subba Reddy. After offering prayers to the presiding deity, Lord Venkateswara, the CJI had darshan through the Vaikunta Dwaram.
Later he was rendered Veda Ashirvachanam at Ranganayakula Mandapam and was presented theertha prasadam, TTD diary, calendar and a laminated photo of Lord Venkateswara. Supreme Court Judge Justice Uday Umesh Lalith, Andhra Pradesh High Court Chief Justice Prasanth Kumar Mishra, Karnataka High Court Chief Justice Ritu Raj Awasthi, Telangana High Court Chief Justice Satish Chandra Sharma also had the darshan.