Tirumala witnesses heavy rush even after Brahmotsavams

Tirumala: Tirumala has been witnessing unprecedented rush even after the completion of annual Brahmotsavams.

The week-end rush coupled with the fourth week of Tamil Puratasi Saturday was attributed to the heavy pilgrim rush in Tirumala which crossed even Asthana Mandapam point on Sunday. In other words, queue line stretched about 3 km distance after the two massive queue complexes were filled with pilgrims.

Pilgrims started pouring in since Thursday resulting in the queue line extending up to Lepakshi circle, outside the queue complex by Friday early morning while the delay in commencing Sarva darshan due to Abshikam and other rituals (on Friday) added to the woes of common pilgrims who were forced to wait for long to have their turn of darshan.

By Sunday morning, the queue line stretched further to Asthana mandapam point with heavy rush of pilgrims owing to Purattasi Saturday, considered most auspicious by devotees from Tamil Nadu, to offer prayers to Lord Venkateswara who they fondly rever as 'Yelu malayan'.

Braving the incessant rains on the holy hills, pilgrims were seen standing in the queue line outside the queue complex, with their families. TTD on its part pressed into service about 200 Srivari Seva volunteers for distribution almost round-the-clock, of water, milk and food items to the pilgrims waiting in the queue lines to some extent mitigating the ordeal of waiting for the whole day for darshan.

Senior TTD officials, including additional EO A V Dharma Reddy, have been monitoring the pilgrim situation at VQC compartments, outside lines at Narayanagiri Gardens, Lepakshi and beyond with temple DyEO Harindranath and VGO Manohar.

According to temple sources, 78,012 pilgrims had darshan on Friday which went up to 1,01,371 on Saturday while on Sunday 64,654 pilgrims had darshan (up to 6 pm) and the queue line is still remaining outside queue complex at Lepakshi circle point when reports last came in. A record number of 51,171 tonsured their head on Saturday alone. TTD sources said that by Monday, the pilgrim rush will come normal level.

Many seek TTD to impose total ban on VIP darshan from Friday to Sunday to avoid inconvenience to the pilgrims citing the ordeal of pilgrims forced to wait outside the queue complex braving inclement weather with their families of women, children and the aged.

This is the only solution to avoid pilgrims waiting for more than a day in the line to have a glimpse of the Lord, they observe stressing TTD to take drastic measure in the larger interest of devotees.