32,000 pilgrims have darshan in Tirumala on Saturday

Tirupati: As many as 32,050 pilgrims had darshan of Lord Venkateswara at Tirumala on Saturday which is the highest after the famed shrine was reopened for darshan in April this year. While the income through the cash offerings from the devotees in the Hundi in the shrine stood at Rs 2.34 crore (on Saturday), according to temple sources.

The pilgrim rush started increasing after the TTD enhanced the 'Time Slotted Sarva Darshan (SSD)' tokens for free darshan from 2,000 to 8,000 with effect from September 26 while the TTD allowing more number of devotees for darshan on the recommendation of VIPs including the members of the newly set up TTD Trust Board saw the daily number of pilgrims who had darshan further going up resulting in the average number of pilgrims who had darshan ranging from 25,000 to 28,000 on normal days and on weekends and holidays crossing 30,000.

As a precautionary measure, the TTD keeping in view the Covid pandemic, which is still prevailing in the pilgrim city, released the Sarva darshan tokens online in advance for the period from September 26 to October 31 for free darshan while equal number of daily 8,000 special entry Rs 300 tickets were also released online for darshan upto October 31.

Apart from issuing all the darshan tickets online except the VIP break darshan and Supatham against recommendations letters, as a safety measure against Covid spread, the TTD also made it mandatory for producing of Covid vaccination certificate (two doses) or test report (Covid negative) taken three days before the date of darshan, for allowing the ticket holders to Tirumala for darshan of Lord.