TIRUMALA: The nine-day annual Brahmotsavams of Lord Venkateswara concluded on a grand finale with ‘Chakrasnanam' on Sunday.
The Utsava deities and the idol were carried in a grand procession to the venue – Sri Varahaswamy temple situated on the north-west bank of ‘Pushkarini' (temple tank) in the wee hours followed by the ‘Snapana Thirumanjanam.'
Soon after completion of the religious formalities, the idol of Lord ‘Chakrathalwar' was ceremoniously immersed in the holy tank waters. Tens of thousands of devotees congregated on the steps of the temple tank hours in advance and waited patiently for the momentous ‘immersion'.
With the first Saturday of the Peratasi Masam, considered auspicious by Tamilians coinciding with the Brahmotsavams, several thousands of devotees stayed back atop the sacred hills to participate in the Chakrasnanam festival.
Later special rituals were conducted at the ‘Dwajasthambham' (flag post) situated inside the temple complex in connection with the ‘Dwaja Avarohanam' festival organized later in the night.
The nine-day annual Brahmotsavams of Lord Venkateswara which concluded on Sunday fetched the TTD a record Rs.13.94 crore, an increase by Rs.1.87 crore compared to last year.
Briefing media persons here on Sunday, TTD Executive Officer I.Y.R. Krishna Rao said the revenue earned was higher (compared to last year) despite low pilgrim turnout.
Out of the total income the temple ‘Hundi' alone netted a staggering Rs.11.53 crore against Rs.10.77 crore last year. The rest was received through sale of darshan tickets and laddus. The lifting of ‘ration' in the issuance of the laddus -- a decision taken recently by the TTD to arrest black marketing of laddu prasadam -- triggered the sales to over a staggering 16.27 lakh laddus during the nine-day festival period.
Dwelling at length, Mr. Rao said while over 5.26 lakh devotees had darshan of the lord over 8.57 lakh pilgrim availed of the TTD's free meals scheme. The APSRTC on its part ferried over 3.78 lakh pilgrims to the temple town.
E.O. thanks all
Mr. Rao thanked all the employees of the organisation including the S.V.Bhakthi channel personnel for making the mega event a grand success.
He was also all praise for the district police administration, RTC authorities and the forest and fire department personnel for their untiring efforts in making the event incident-free.
He said all the religious formalities vis-Ã -vis procession of various ‘vahanams' were strictly followed according to guidelines laid down in the ‘agama sastras'.
The striking feature of the Brahmotsavams was that devotees were allowed till the ‘Kula Sekhara Alwar Padi' for darshan of the main deity.
The management on its part had identified certain ‘deficiencies' during the nine-day festival. However, required steps would be initiated to see that such incidents do not recur during the ensuing Navarathri Brahmotsavams of the Lord scheduled to commence from October 8, he said.
OM NAMO NARAYANAYA !
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