The threat of Covid-19 third wave is compelling the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanam officials to restrict the number of pilgrims allowed for the darshan of Lord Venkateshwara.
TTD Executive Officer Dr Jawahar Reddy said that they would continue to issue a limited number of special darshan (Rs 300) tickets till the World Health Organization eases the pandemic restrictions.
“Based on the requests from devotees, we have hiked the daily online special darshan quota tickets from 5,000 to 8,000 tickets for August. Depending on the intensity of Covid-19 cases, we will revise these numbers. We appeal to the devotees coming for Srivari darshan to follow all the Covid-19 precautions in view of the government alerts about a third wave,” Reddy said during his monthly “Dial-Your-EO” program, on Saturday.
Reddy said that advance accommodation allotment counters are set up at the Alipiri tollgate and Srivari Mettu footpath routes. Devotees are not being allowed on the Alipiri footpath route at present because of the renovation works, slated for completion in September.
Book on Anjaneya birthplace
The TTD which has earlier declared that Anjanadri of the Tirumala hills is the birthplace of Lord Anjaneya would be bringing out a comprehensive book with all the puranic, historical and archaeological evidences as affirmed by researchers, puranic pundits, pontiffs etc.
The EO also said that the TTD has sent a proposal to the Andhra Pradesh endowments department to handover the Anjaneya temple at Japali near Tirumala to them.
The gold lacing of Sri Govindaraja Swamy temple's vimana, located in Tirupati, would be initiated on 14 September and will be completed by May 2022.
(Published 07 August 2021, 16:39 IST)
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