Holiday rush: TTD cancels VIP break darshan as devotees throng temple town

Tirupati: Following a series of holidays and auspicious wedding dates, the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanam saw lakhs of devotees throng Tirumala. In view of the huge rush, TTD has cancelled VIP break darshan given on recommendation letters till 21 August. This is to give priority to pilgrims who come from other states and wait in lines for long hours.

According to TTD Trust Board chairman Y.V Subba Reddy, due to the holidays, it is taking nearly two days for sarva darshanam and the devotees have to wait in long queues. On Saturday, 83,422 pilgrims had darshan.

TTD asks devotees to postpone darshan

The TTD has appealed to devotees to postpone their darshan to Tirumala. This is probably the third time after the Covid-19 pandemic that it has asked devotees to postpone darshan during peak season. Devotees were seen in almost 29 compartments and long lines were seen at least for six kilometers to the Asthana Mandapam. According to TTD officials, this weekend rush is more than that witnessed during Garuda Seva and Vykunta Ekadasi, which usually sees more devotees visiting Tirumala.

A similar situation occurred in May, the first summer season post Covid-19 when the TTD saw lakhs of devotees throng the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanam. A video of lakhs of devotees and children facing trouble in the queues when there was a stampede-like situation went viral.

Record number of weddings

For many, wedding at TTD is a blessing. Coinciding with Sravana Purnima, the TTD saw a record number of marriages in the last two days. Around 250 couples tied the knot at the Purohit Sangham Mandapam of TTD, other mutts, and kalyana mandapams of the hill town in the last two days.