With surge in pilgrim rush, it's 30-hr wait for darshan

Tirupati: The pilgrim rush in Tirumala had swelled due to consecutive holidays due to Dasara while the rush is expected to increase further with the impending Tamil month Peratasi Saturday which is a holy month during which the pilgrims rush from neighbouring Tamil Nadu is usually high.

The pilgrim rush which was normal till October 4, picked up from the afternoon of October 5 and steadily increased resulting in the waiting time for the pilgrims to have their turn of darshan crossed 30 hours since Thursday morning.

All compartments in the massive queue complex and sheds in Narayanagiri Gardens were all full to their capacity leading to the pilgrim line stretching outside the gardens towards Sila Thoranam point at 10 a.m. itself on Thursday, according to TTD officials. "It is taking 30 hours for the darshan," TTD said in a press release and requested the devotees to make note of the waiting time and cooperate with the temple management. Meanwhile, 57.33 lakh pilgrims had Srivari darshan during the nine-day annual Brahmotsavams which concluded on Wednesday while over three lakh devotees witnessed Garuda Vahana Seva on the Mada street outside the shrine.

TTD sold a total of 24.89 lakh laddus and the hundi collections stood at Rs 22.38 crore.

On security side, TTD deployed 4,635 vigilance and police for bandobast while about 4,000 Srivari sevaks from various states were engaged for voluntary service in various areas ensuring the conduct of Brahmotsavams incident-free.

A total of 2.20 lakh devotees offered tonsuring and 1,189 barbers worked round-the-clock in the nine kalyanakatta (tonsure) centres in Tirumala.

Annaprasadams, the free meal, and breakfast served to 21.75 pilgrims during Brahmotsavams and on Garuda seva day 7.87 lakh devotees availed free meals and 3.46 lakh were proved coffee and tea. As many as 1,360 sanity workers were deployed for keeping Tirumala clean and shining, 800 more during Garuda seva day of Brahmotsavams.

TTD garden department made flower decorations in Srivari temple, junctions, rest houses and other select places utilising 35 tonne flowers, three lakh cut flowers and 60,000 seasonal flowers. For the first time, saffron strings from Kashmir are used to make garlands and crowns during Snapana Tirumanjanam.

TTD vigilance and security wing recently during Brahmotsavams realigned the queue line for the convenience of the pilgrims waiting for darshan by diverting it towards Silathoranam junction on the Ringer road on a pilot basis. This route avoided the previous route of the queue line which meandered through Sanku Mitta Cottage, Lepakshi junction, Shopping complex, Rambhagicha area etc. the most crowded places where the vehicles, locals as well as pilgrims movement is usually very high. With the change of the queue line proved convenient to the pilgrims and others, TTD opted it for extending the queue line where the pilgrims wait after all the compartments in the queue complex and shed in Narayanagiri Gardens area