No darshan for 6 days: TTD

To avoid inconvenience to pilgrims, the TTD Board has resolved to cancel the Lord’s darshan from August 11 to August 16 in view of the Astabandhana Balalaya Ma has am pro ks han am, a unique religious fete, said board chairman Putta Sudhakar Yadav.

Briefing mediapersons here on Saturday after an emergency board meeting, Mr Yadav said, “This unique religious fete takes place once in 12 years in the Tirumala shrine. It commences with Ankurarpanam on August 11 and concludes on August 16. As importance will be given for vedic rituals, the time for darshan for pilgrims will be very minimal.”

The TTD will not provide any annaprasadams during Ma has am pro ks han am. He said that according to previous data, 5.5 lakh pilgrims visit the hill temple in the second week of August. “Keeping this in view, we have decided to dispense with darshan to avoid hardships to devotees,” Mr Yadav said.

He explained: “Pilgrims will not be allowed to enter the Vaikuntham queue complex for darshan after 6 pm on August 9. Darshan will resume only after 6 am from August 17.” He requested pilgrims to plan their travel accordingly.

Earlier, the TTD announced that both the ghat roads and the footpath routes would be closed, which confirms that there will be no entry for devotees. Later, the TTD stepped back and said that the devotees would not be allowed in the compartments for darshan from 6 pm of August 9 to 6 am of August 17.

The Rayalaseema Porata Samithi released a press statement saying that the decision was creating doubts.

“We suspect some . We wonder why the devotees are not allowed to Tirumala at least. Are there any valuable things that the Board wants to shift out of the temple,” said convener P. Naveen Kumar Reddy.