To avoid inconvenience to the pilgrims, TTD Board has resolved to cancel Lord’s darshan from August 11 to August 16 in view of Astabandhana Balalaya Mahasamprokshanam, a unique religious fete, said TTD Board Chairman Putta Sudhakar Yadav.
Briefing the media persons at Annamaiah Bhavan in Tirumala on Saturday after the emergency Board meeting, the Chairman said, this unique religious fete takes place once in 12 years in Tirumala shrine. “This religious fete commences with Ankurarpanam on August 11. This holy fete commences on August 12 and concludes on August 16. As the importance will be for Vedic rituals inside the temple, the time for providing darshan to pilgrims will be very minimal. Our past history speaks that during the second week of August last, over 5.5 lakh pilgrims visited hill temple. Keeping this in view, we have decided to dispense with darshan to avoid hardship to pilgrim devotees”, the Chairman reiterated.
Adding further he said, the pilgrims will not be allowed to enter Vaikuntham Queue Complex for darshan after 6 pm on August 9. The darshan will resume to pilgrims only after 6 am from August 17 onwards. “We, therefore, request the pilgrim devotees of Lord Venkateswara present across the globe to plan their pilgrimage accordingly”, the Chairman appealed to pilgrims.
TTD EO Anil Kumar Singhal, board members, Rudraaju Padmaraju, Challa Ramachandra Reddy, S Venkata Veeraiah, Ashok Babu, Rayapati Sambasiva Rao, Peddireddi, Meda Ramakrishna Reddy, Smt Sudha Narayanamurthy, special invitees Raghavendra Rao, Ashok Reddy, Tirumala JEO KS Sreenivasa Raju, Tirupati JEO P Bhaskar were also present.