Tirumala decked up for nine day celestial Brahmotsavam

Stage is set for the nine-day annual Brahmotsavams of Lord Venkateswara commencing on 23 September. Tirumala the abode of Lord Venakateswara (Balaji) is all dressed up with flower medians, electrical display stations, security barricades, extended parking lots; streamlined food parks Laddu Prasadam counters and waiting queues.

The annual Brahmotsavam also called Salakatla Brahmotsavam festival is the pinnacle of events organized by the Tirumala Tirupati Devastanams (TTD) out of a total of 450 festivals round the year. Brahmotsavam is celebrated in memory of Lord Venkateswara's self-manifestation day under the leadership of Brahma the son of Vishnu.

The TTD this year is spending Rs 8 crore on the annual event.  TTD Executive Officer Anil Kumar Singhal has said that efforts are being made to organize the annual event in an unprecedented way.

“The stress is on meeting the requirements of the common pilgrims. Giving them timely, free and quality food and to maintain hygiene on the hills,” he said. However, TTD made it clear that the entry into the four Mada streets will be restricted considering the heavy rush.

The vigilance department has installed 1,400 CCTV cameras all over the hills to keep an eye on troublemakers. The most sought after the procession of the auspicious ‘Garuda Seva’ would start at 7.30 p.m. on September 27 and is expected to last till 1.00 a.m.

The state carrier APSRTC which has pressed 500 buses into service will organize 4,000 trips on Garuda Vahana day also from Tirupati to Tirumala, on the remaining days it will run only 2000 trips per day.

Chief minister N. Chandrababu Naidu will make the customary presentation of ‘silk vastrams’ on behalf of the State government on the first day soon after the ‘Dhwajarohanam’ festival.

Medical camps will be organized by the APSRTC, South-Central Railway (SCR) and the TTD at different places to benefit devotees. SCR is running two special trains between Tirupati and coastal city Kakinada to mop up the additional rush.