TTD gears up for Jan 1, Vaikuntha Ekadasi rush: TTD EO Anil Kumar Singhal

Tirupati: The TTD is making elaborate arrangements for New Year Day (January 1) and also Vaikuntha Ekadasi which falls on January 6 to cope with heavy rush of devotees expected for the two important events, said TTD Executive Officer Anil Kumar Singhal.

Interacting with the media after the Dial-Your-EO programme at Tirumala on Friday, Singhal said keeping in view the cold climate on the hills, the TTD decided to cover the galleries in the Mada streets where the devotees arrive in large number to take shelter before darshan.

Accordingly, laying of German shield at the galleries will be completed in three weeks, ahead of two major events. Additional arrangements for providing Anna Prasadams, drinking water and toilets etc. will also be taken up to cope with the rush, he explained.

In view of anticipated huge pilgrim rush for New year and also for Vaikuntha Ekadasi and Dwadasi, the TTD has cancelled all privileged darshan and advance reservation of accommodation on December 30, 31 and January 1 and again from January 4-7.

Privilege darshan for aged, challenged and parents with infants also remains cancelled. While both accommodation and darshan are cancelled for donors also so as to provide accommodation and darshan on first-come- first served basis.

He said TTD calendars for the year 2020 which were delayed, are now available for sale at TTD publications stalls at Tirumala and Tirupati. From December 10 onwards, the calendars and diaries will be available at all TTD Information Centres.

Solar eclipse on December 26: Srivari temple will remain closed for 13 hours from 11 pm of December 25 till 12 noon of December 26 in view of solar eclipse on December 26.

The Sarva Darshan will commence from 2 pm onwards on December 26.

The TTD has cancelled Tiruppavada, Kalyanotsavam, Unjal seva, Arjita Brahmotsavams and Vasantotsavam at Srivari temple on December 26.

In all 21 calls were received on Friday on various issues and also

suggestions from the devotees during the hour-long 'Dial Your EO' programme.

A caller Mohan Rao from Vizag strongly opposed the recent hike of charges of the room in some of pilgrim complexes at Tirumala and said that it hit hard the middle class pilgrims coming in more numbers for darshan of Lord and wanted affordable charges to all sections.

The EO said contrary to the fears expressed in some quarters that SRIVANI Trust donations would hit Hundi income, the Hundi offerings increased significantly amply revealing that the darshan linked donation in no way affects other sources of the TTD income.

The Parakamani collections i.e. cash offerings in the Hundi at Tirumala temple in November this year (after introduction of VIP-darshan linked donation of SRIVANI Trust) stood at 94.07 crore against 86.42 crore last year for the same month.

The total Hundi income from April to November this year was 777.78 crore against 707.95 crore for the same period last year indicating Rs 69.82 crore increase in cash offering in the Hundi, EO said adding that gold and silver offerings too showed steep increase.

The gold offerings this year from April to November was 803 kg against 562 kg last year same period while silver offerings this year for the eight months was 3852 kg against 1859 kg last year from April to November.