Once bustling with pilgrims coming from across country, the Tirumala Tirupati temple now wears a deserted look. In view of the nationwide lockdown to curb the spread of Covid-19, the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanam board which manages the hill abode of Lord Venkateswara has announced lockdown till April 14.
The board has also decided to continue the suspension of the Srivari (Lord) darshan at Srivari temple (main temple) for pilgrims till April 14. Earlier, TTD had imposed a total suspension of darshan for pilgrims in Tirumala temple till March 31. Apart from main temple, 50 sub-temples under the administration of TTD have also been closed.
As a result of the latest decision, the festivals of Sri Ramanavami Asthanam on April 2 and the Sri Rama Pattabhiseka Asthanam on April 3 will be performed inside the temple in Ekantam while Hanumantha Vahana Seva on the occasion of Sri Rama Navami remains cancelled.
Similarly, the three-day annual vasantotsavam from April 5-7 will be conducted at the Kalyana Mandapam inside the Srivari temple in Ekantam and the procession of Swarna Ratham on April 6 also stands cancelled.
Seeking divine intervention to safeguard humanity from the dreadful novel coronavirus, TTD board which manages the holy hill shrine of Lord Venkateswara at Tirumala Tirupati will hold a “Dhanvantru Yagan”.
Meanwhile, the manufacturing and distribution of unique ‘Kalyanotsavam laddus’ has also been halted.
This is the first time in 128 years that the temple has been closed for pilgrims. The temple with a 2000-year-old history only closed for religious rituals and solar moon eclipses but never for a temporary period.
Leave a Reply