TTD begins food distribution to waiting devotees in galleries

Tirumala: The temple management, TTD, commenced the food distribution early in the morning for the pilgrims waiting in the galleries to witness the Garuda Seva, the major event of the ongoing Brahmotsavams in Tirumala on Friday.

Pilgrims started pouring in from the wee hours into the galleries resulting in all 200 compartments in the galleries on the four Mada streets around the shrine, full to the brim before noon. TTD officials said the total capacity of galleries was two lakh pilgrims to sit, waiting in the galleries to witness the Vahana Seva.

A senior official said distribution started at 5 am with milk and coffee provided to the pilgrims waiting in the galleries followed by upma till 8 am. In the morning, butter milk at 9.30 am sambar rice, tomato rice and sweet pongal from 10 am to 12 pm much to the relief of waiting pilgrims served.

The food distribution continued with the supplying of pulihora in packets to pilgrims till snack distribution at 4 pm. In the evening, again coffee, milk sundal were distributed. The

distribution of Annaprasadam continued till 6 pm in the North and East Mada Street before Swami Pushkarini as they house the last galleries, before the commencement of Garuda Vahanam at 7 pm. TTD Chairman Bhumana Karunakar Reddy along with the TTD EO A V Dharma Reddy inspected the galleries and interacted with the pilgrim devotees about the distribution of food and other amenities being provided to them. They lauded the services of Srivari Sevaks volunteers, who have been rendering services to the devotees waiting in four mada street galleries since early hours with dedication.

Nearly 1,500 Srivari Sevaks were pressed into service for food packing, food distribution in galleries and distribution of water to the Health department.

They also appreciated the senior officers, who were drafted to monitor the services in all the four mada streets under the direct supervision of TTD JEO Veerabrahmam with the assistance by FACAO Balaji, CEO SVBC Shanmukh Kumar and Chief Engineer Nageswara Rao in the Mada streets. The state run APSRTC operated more trips this year but the number of pilgrims ferried from Tirupati to Tirumala for the Garuda Seva was less compared to last year.

Till 5 pm, the RTC operated 1,646 trips transporting 55,349 pilgrims on Friday compared to last year Garuda Seva which was with1,499 trips ferrying 74,377 pilgrims, i.e. 19,000 pilgrims less than last year.

This year, the police along with TTD security and vigilance made tight arrangements resulting in many pilgrims not being aware of the exact location of entry points into galleries faced inconvenience.