Tirumala: Srivari annual Teppotsavam from March 13 to 17

Tirumala: The five-day fete of annual Teppotsavam (float festival) of Lord Venkateswara temple at Tirumala will be held from March 13 to17.

Teppotsavam is known as "Tiruppalli Odai Tirunal" in Tamil and is hailed as Teppa Tirunalllu in Telugu and the celebrations have a legacy from 1468 organised by King Saluva Narasimha Rayalu.

Later saint poet Tallapaka Annamaiah has heralded the event as a prominent utsava conducted at Tirumala during hot summer days bringing cool breeze of float festival as a feast to devotees.

The float festival will be celebrated daily in the evening between 7 pm and 8 pm with utsava idols of Swami and Ammavaru riding on decorated floats after procession on Mada streets on the waters of the holy temple tank (Pushkarini).

On the first two days, the Utsava idols of Sri Sita Lakshmana Sameta Sri Ramachandra, Sri Rukmini Devi and Sri Krishna will take three rounds on floats and enthrall devotees.

Later, Utsava idols of Sri Malayappa with consorts Sri Devi and Sri Bhudevi will go three rounds (third day), five rounds (fourth day) and seven rounds on (fifth day) and bless devotees. Arjitha Sevas cancelled: In view of the Teppotsavam festival, the TTD has appealed to devotees to make a note that it has cancelled the virtual Arjita Sevas of Sahasra Deepalankara Seva on March 13,14 and Arjitha Brahmotsavam and Sahasra Deepalankara Seva on March 15,16 and17.