Garuda Seva captivates hearts of devotees

Tirupati: The highly anticipated Garuda Seva, one of the most auspicious events in the annual Brahmotsavam at Tirumala, drew lakhs of devotees on Tuesday evening. The sacred procession began at 6.30 pm, but eager devotees began gathering at the galleries around the four Mada streets from the early morning itself. The TTD had estimated that about three lakh devotees would witness this year’s Garuda Seva and made extensive arrangements to accommodate the massive crowd.

TTD officials ensured that the waiting devotees were well taken care of, providing Anna prasadams, milk, buttermilk and drinking water throughout the day with the help of Sri Vari Sevaks. To enhance convenience, mobile toilets were set up at strategic locations in the galleries. Security and traffic management were top priorities as arrangements were made to clear the galleries promptly after the Vahanam passed through, to prevent congestion.

However, while TTD managed the massive influx of pilgrims in Tirumala, devotees who reached Tirupati faced a different set of challenges. The extensive police arrangements and traffic diversions in the city led to frustration among pilgrims coming from various regions. As Tirumala has a limited capacity of accommodating only 8,000 vehicles, traffic was cut off at several points, and movement of other vehicles was restricted in Tirupati itself.

Pilgrims attempting to reach Tirumala in their private vehicles were directed to various designated parking zones around the city. From these zones, they had to switch to APSRTC buses to reach Tirumala. This arrangement caused significant inconvenience for thousands of devotees, especially elders and families with young children, who found it difficult to adapt to the unexpected change. Many had to wait for prolonged periods to board the buses, causing further discomfort.

Those who managed to reach Tirumala after the hurdles in Tirupati faced additional challenges due to the clogged traffic on the outer ring road leading to the town. This caused further delays, and many frustrated pilgrims were unable to reach the galleries in time. By the afternoon, all the viewing areas in the mada streets were already full. TTD officials announced that devotees would need to enter queue lines from the Silathoranam circle, which led to disappointment for thousands who were unable to secure a spot.

The overcrowding led to heated arguments between the police personnel and disappointed devotees at some points. Despite these logistical issues, the Garuda Seva concluded peacefully, thanks to the coordinated efforts of TTD executive officer J Syamala Rao and Additional EO Ch Venkaiah Chowdary. Superintendent of police L Subba Rayudu also ensured security arrangements were in place, managing the vast crowds and ensuring the smooth conduct of the event.