The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh News : Tirumala being decked up for Brahmotsavam

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Sep 15, 2004

Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh

Tirumala being decked up for Brahmotsavam

By Our Staff Reporter

TIRUMALA, SEPT. 14. The stage is set for the formal launching of the nine-day annual `Brahmotsavam' of Lord Venkateswara from September 16. All arrangements are being made to meet the requirements of pilgrims.

Huge cut-outs, depicting the images of various forms of Lord Vishnu, have been erected at several points besides decorating the entire mada streets with a variety of flowers.

Staff deputed

The TTD management has dispensed with the advance reservation of cottages and darshan tickets. Pilgrims shall be served on the first-cum-first serve basis. Open top galleries have been erected all along the mada streets encircling the holy shrine for the convenience of pilgrims.

About 2,000 employees have been deputed at Tirumala for the `Brahmotsavam' duty in addition to the already existing 4,000 strong workforce. Employees of various wings in the TTD are working at a feverish pace to finish the works assigned to them. Painting and white washing of the TTD buildings has been completed. Several tonnes of flowers have been used in tastefully decorating the interiors of the main temple complex. The management is equipped with a buffer stock laddus to meet the demand.

Information centres

Information centres have been set up at all the vital points. The number of pilgrims being fed free of cost, everyday, under the `Nitya annadanam' scheme has been enhanced to 25,000. The APSRTC has agreed to run one bus every minute on Tirumala ghat roads and also agreed to run more than 60 new inter-state and inter-district services to Tirumala during the festival period.

In connection with the `Brahmotsavam', `Koil Alwar Thirumanjam' was performed at the Hill temple on Tuesday amidst great religious fervour. A rich paste containing the mixture of refined camphor, sandalwood powder, turmeric and other herbal ingredients was applied to all the walls and pillars inside the sanctum sanctorum.

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Andhra Pradesh