Tirumala spruced up for nine-day Brahmotsavams

Tirumala: Tirumala, the abode of Lord Venkateswara, is spruced up for the nine-day annual Salakatla Brahmotsavams which will take off with Dhwajarohanam on Monday.

Following the age-old practice, Chief Minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy on behalf of the State government will present `Vastrams’ to the presiding deity at Tirumala after the Dhwajarohanam.

The entire hilltop temple is glowing with colourful illuminations and decorations inside the shrine, outside the temple, at temple tank Pushkarini, Mada streets around the temple, parks, pilgrim complexes and all other areas making the temple town look like a heaven on the earth.

TTD on its part is fully geared up for the Brahmotsavams which will be held this year twice due to Adhika Masam while the district police made elaborate security arrangements involving more than 4,000 of all cadres, covering Tirumala, outer ring road, ghat roads, Alipiri and focal points on the hills and down the hills.

Top officials including DGP Rajendranath Reddy himself reviewed the arrangements to ensure foolproof security and smooth and successful conduct of the Brahmotsavams. According to TTD Executive Officer AV Dharma Reddy, additional arrangements were being made to cope with the festive rush while a buffer stock of six lakh laddus was kept ready to ensure no shortage of the most sought after laddu prasadam, in addition to the daily production of three lakh laddus for sale during the Brahmotsavams which attract hundreds of thousands of pilgrims from all over the country.

Arrangements were made for distribution of Annaprasadam at various places for the pilgrims, drinking water supply and sanitation.

Meanwhile the Ankurarpanam, a preparatory religious exercise being observed a day before the commencement of Brahmotsavams was observed by the priests at the shrine on Sunday evening.