Srikakulam devotee sets record in visiting Tirumala

Srikakulam: An ardent devotee of Lord Sri Venkateswara, Mahanthi Srinivasa Rao of Srikakulam city, set a record in climbing seven hills. He reached Tirumala temple by foot 175 times in a span of 22 years. He recorded 175 visits to the temple in 145 days. During every visit to the temple town, he walked from Tirupati to Tirumala hills climbing the steps.

Srinivasa Rao started his pilgrimage on foot to reach Tirumala in 1997 and completed 175 times by July 26, 2018. He inculcated a habit of having darshan of Lord Balaji always covering by foot the distance from Tirupati to Tirumala.

Between 1997 and 2004, he climbed the seven hills once in a year by foot and till 2009 he reached the hill shrine by foot 28 times. Between 2010 and 2014, he reached Tirumala Hills by walk 21 times. In 2015, he visited Lord Venkateswara by foot 20 times and in 2016 on 15 occasions.

In 2017, Srinivasa Rao reached seven hills by foot 50 times at the age of 50 years. Till July 26 this year, the ardent devotee reached Tirumala by walk 40 times and thus total 175 times he visited Tirumala by climbing the seven hills by foot which is a remarkable achievement.

Srinivasa Rao also recorded the feat of reached the climbing the seven hills 119 times in 119 days, once each day and 44 times in 22 days which means twice each day. He also made 12 visits to the shrine in four days which means thrice each day.

He is also providing information to devotees on all important pilgrim centres across the State and country as part of service to the religion. He has been promoting spiritual values among public.