TTD gears up for Navaratri Brahmotsavams

Tirumala: The Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) is geared up for the smooth conduct of the nine-day Navaratri Brahmotsavams to be held from October 10 to 18. Before receiving the calls from pilgrims as a part of ‘Dial your EO’ programme on Friday, TTD EO Anil Kumar Singhal informed the pilgrims on the important activities, rituals lined up in the month of October including Brahmotsavams and the arrangements being made for the nine-day mega religious festival.

He said all out arrangements were being made for the convenience and comfort of the devotees expected to participate in large numbers in the Navaratri Brahmotsavams as they coincide with Dasara holidays.

The TTD has decided to reduce the number of tokens for Divya Darshan and Sarva Darshan and Rs 300 special darshan tickets also on all Saturdays and Sundays till October 20-21, in view of heavy crowds of devotees during the holy month of Puratasi (scared for Tamil devotees), Dasara festival and Srivari Navaratri Brahmotsavams, he explained.

With an objective to provide Srivari Darshan to more devotees during Brahmotsavams, the TTD has cancelled all Arjitha Sevas and special darshans as well, Singhal said. The APSRTC will operate more number of services to cope with the surge of devotee crowds for Brahmotsavams. Plying of two-wheelers on the Tirumala Ghat roads has been banned on October 14 as it happens to be the Garuda Seva day.

Similarly, special parking lots have been readied near Alipiri Gateway in Tirupati and Srivari Mettu near Srinivasa Mangapuram and all devotees are requested to utilise them. Nearly 3,000 Srivari Sevakulu, 1,000 scouts and guides besides the regular TTD vigilance and police staff were deployed to provide services to devotees during the nine-day long celestial event.