Tirumala: 10-day Vaikunta Dwara Darshan begins on Jan 13

Tirumala: Elaborate arrangements are being made for the 10-day Vaikunta Dwara Darshan, the most sought after darshan at Tirumala temple, beginning from Vaikunta Ekadasi on January 13.

The TTD is preparing for providing Vaikunta Dwara Darshanam to about 50,000 devotees daily including Rs 300 special entry tickets (20,000), SSD (Sarva darshan) (10,000), VIP break (3,500-4,000), Srivani Trust Break Darshan (2,000) and Arjitha (virtual) ticket holders (10,000) and other categories from January 13 to 22.

The TTD also decided to issue 5,000 darshan tokens daily during the 10- day darshan to locals of Tirupati city only. Meanwhile, TTD Chairman YV Subba Reddy has appealed to all VIPs not to send any recommendation letters for Vaikunta Ekadasi/Dwadasi darshans.

Seeking the VIPs to understand the constraints the TTD is facing to cope with the huge demand for Vaikunta Dwara Darshan, he said the decision was to provide hassle-free Vaikunta Ekadasi and Dwadasi darshan to common devotees who bought online tickets in advance and added that no recommendation letters will be accepted by the TTD for the 10 days.

On the arrangements, he said in view of ongoing repairs to many cottages and rooms at Tirumala, accommodation for all legislators will be provided at Nandakam and Vakulamatha rest houses and if the accommodation in Tirumala is not sufficient enough they should come prepared to make a halt at Tirupati itself.

The TTD Chairman said SRIVANI Trust devotees should take rooms at Madhavam, Srinivasam, Sri Padmavati Nilayam and SV guest house in Tirupati. He said the TTD board has decided to reduce the VIP darshan during the 10-day Vaikunta Dwara darshan as much as possible and provide more scope for common devotees to have darshan and accordingly instructions were issued to officials.