Navaratri Brahmotsavam to begin today

Tirumala: The stage is set for the nine-day Navaratri Brahmotsavam which will commence on Sunday morning with the procession of Utsava deities Lord Malayappa and his Consorts in Golden Tiruchi on the Mada streets. In the evening, the deities will be taken in a procession on Pedda Sesha Vahanam.

TTD anticipating heavy rush of pilgrims due to Dasara holidays made additional arrangements to cope with the rush and also decided to commence Garudavahana Seva at 6.30 pm so as to provide opportunity to more number of devotees to witness the seva which will be held October 19. The Utsavam will conclude with Chakrasnanam on October 23. Due to Adhika Masam, the Brahmotsavam is conducted twice this year.

However, the second, i.e. Navaratri Brahmotsavam, the rituals of Dwajarohanam, Dwajaavarohanm and the wooden chariot procession will not be observed.

The district police earmarked 32 parking lots with a total capacity 15,000 vehicles in Tirumala and in Tirupati down the hills police allotted Devlok complex on Alipiri bypass road for parking buses and vehicles with more than 9 seat capacity which were not allowed to Tirumala. Tirupati district SP P Parameswara Reddy held a meeting with police officials in Tirumala on Saturday reviewing the security arrangements for the Brahmotsavam. He said special parties along with dog squad and bomb squad will daily conduct searches on ghat roads, Tirumala and surrounding area till the end of Brahmotsavams.

Meanwhile, Ankurarpanam also known as Beejavapanam was held in Tirumala temple on Saturday evening, as a prelude for Navaratri Brahmotsavam. TTD chairman Bhumana Karunakar Reddy, EO AV Dharma Reddy, JEO Veerabrahmam, CVSO Narasimha Kishore, temple DyEO Lokanatham and others were present.

Marking the occasion, Lord Viswakshena, the commander in chief of Maha Vishnu was taken in a procession on the Mada streets, before the conduct of Ankurarpanam.