Srikakulam devotee climbs Tirumala hills for 300 times

Tirupati: Devotional passion for going to Tirumala on foot made a 54-year-old man from Srikakulam to climb up holy hills 300th time on Saturday.

An Ayurvedic medical shop owner Mahanthi Srinivasa Rao, a resident of Gudi Veedhi in Srikakulam town and an ardent devotee of Lord Venkateswara, completed his 300th time going to Tirumala on foot through Srivari Mettu pedestrian way.

He also found place in Asia Book of Records when he had completed his 258th pilgrimage to Tirumala on foot in 2020 June. While speaking to The Hans India before starting his journey, he said with great satisfaction coupled with immense devotion towards Lord that it was with the strength provided by the Almighty, which enabled him to climb up holy hills on foot.

"I had started going to Tirumala on foot since 1996 when I was 28 years old. Later, I have completed 85 times in 2016 and 50 times in 2017 when I fell in my 50s. 71 times in 2018, 50 times in 2019, 2 times in 2020 and 41 times in 2021. This is my 42nd time going to Tirumala on foot today," he explained.

As a preparation to Tirumala trip, he said he will book the virtual seva online where there is a provision of darshan for devotees who attend any virtual Arjitha Seva along with accommodation and added that he will return to his home town with full satisfaction after having hassle-free darshan of Lord. Mahanthi said he also has been motivating persons in Srikakulam on how to get hassle-free darshan and about pilgrimage with low expenditure which made about 5,000-6,000 people from his town to have darshan of Lord so far.

His wife Saraswathi who also had darshan of Venkateswara Swamy 55 times by going on foot to Tirumala and son M Anjaneya Rakesh who also came to Tirumala 27 times on foot so far, have been supporting him for his devotional trip to Tirumala every time, he said to The Hans India.

He will continue to visit Tirumala on foot as long as his health permits with grace of God, he stated.