Balaji Devotee sets record in climbing seven hills
- Mahanthi Srinivasa Rao reached Tirumala on foot 201 times in a span of 22 years
- He always leaves his footwear back at home
- He kept tokens issued at Alipiri gate for reaching by foot
Srikakulam: An ardent devotee of Sri Venkateswara Swamy, Mahanthi Srinivasa Rao of Gudiveedhi in Srikakulam city sets record in reaching Tirumala hills on foot from Tirupati to Tirumala via Aliripiri and Srivari Mettu 201 times till 12 October 2018. He inspired from a devotee, Runku AppaRao who served as JEO of TTD and he reached 108 times to Tirumala on foot.
With the inspiration Srinivasa Rao started climbing Tirumala hills in the year 1996 for the first time. From 1997 to 2008 he had a darsan of Lord Balaji by reaching Tirumal on foot 16 times. In 2009 he visited Tirumala on foot 12 times in every month.
From 2010 to 2014 he climbed 21 times. In 2015 he reached Tirumala on foot 20 times and in 2016 he visited 15 times. In 2017 at the age 50 years he visited seven hills on foot 50 times which is a great achievement of Srinivasa Rao.
In 2018 till 12 October he reached Tirumala on foot 66 times by breaking his own record sets in 2017. The devotee of Balaji sets another record by reaching Tirumala on foot 151 times in between 2015 to 2018 in a span of three years.
He also breaks another record in reaching seven hills on foot once in one day on 125 occasions, twice in day 32 occasions means 64 times, thrice in one day on four occasions, means 12 times.
Wife of Srinivasa Rao, Saraswathi also reached Tirumala on foot 48 occasions by inspiring from her husband and his son Anjaneya Rakesh also reached Tirumala on foot 24 times and adopted
spiritual values at the young age 19 years.
Srinivasa Rao always leaves his footwear back at home and goes bare foot in order to protect sanctity of Tirumala. He has a habit of bringing new pilgrims to Tirumala as a guide and provides them absolute information. Srinivasa Rao is running Ayurveda medical business near RTC complex in Srikakulam city.