TIRUMALA: Lakhs of devotees from different parts of the country converged atop the sacred hill temple of Lord Venkateswara on Wednesday to participate in the auspicious ‘Garuda Seva' festival -- observed on the fifth day of the annual Brahmotsavams at Tirumala.
The crowd which was moderate till Tuesday started swelling with the break of dawn on Wednesday and reached its zenith by dusk.
All the open top galleries constructed on either side of the ‘mada' streets encircling the hill temple were packed by evening. Pilgrims fearing non-availability of space congregated on the granite steps of the galleries all along the ‘mada' streets hours in advance before the commencement of the auspicious ‘Garuda Seva'.
The sprawling open space made available in front of the main temple complex was also full to its capacity.
The devotees could not reach their preferred spots with the stepped up security arrangements.
Heavy deployment of security personnel at all the four corners of the hill temple also to some extent obstructed free movement of the devotees into the ‘mada' streets.
Traffic curbs
As a precautionary measure police imposed traffic curbs and regulated the vehicular movement atop the temple town to avoid inconvenience to the commuters. Several thousands of devotees who reached the shrine from nearby towns and villages on their two-wheelers were stopped at the threshold of the hill town -- the GNC tollgate. Tens of thousands of devotees reached the sacred town on foot.
On the other hand the processional deity of Lord Malayappa mounted atop the ‘Golden' Garuda Vahanam was taken out in a grand procession around the hill shrine amidst chanting of ‘Govinda namam' by the devotees.
Rare ornaments
The deity was adorned with very rare and precious ornaments including the centuries old ‘Makara Kanti', ‘Lakshmi haram' and ‘Sahasra Namavali haram' besides diamond-studded golden crown and other ornaments. The entire town wore a festive look and buzzed with pilgrim activity.
Earlier, in the morning the temple authorities conducted the colourful procession of ‘Mohini avatharam'.
The deity mounted atop the exquisitely decorated Ivory palanquin with the golden parrot on his shoulders was carried out in a grand procession around the ‘mada' streets providing a feast to the eyes of the devotees along with the procession of Lord Krishna.
OM NAMO VENKATESAYA !
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