Tirumala Vaikunta Ekadasi Common Darshan Starts on Friday at 8 A.M

Tirupati: Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) has announced that the Vaikunta Dwara Darshan of Lord Venkateswara at the Tirumala Temple for common devotees will commence at 8 a.m. on Friday, January 10, following completion of the temple rituals. Darshan for the protocol dignitaries will begin earlier at 4:30 a.m.

Addressing media in Tirumala on Tuesday, TTD executive officer (EO) J. Syamala Rao assured that common devotees will be given top priority in having a hassle-free darshan. He disclosed that they are expecting nearly seven lakh pilgrims during the 10-day event from January 10 to January 19.

Festivities on the day of Vaikunta Ekadasi include the procession of Sri Malayappa Swamy with His consorts on a golden chariot along the four mada streets from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. Later, the darshan will continue at the Vahana Mandapam from 12 noon to 4 p.m. On January 11, Vaikunta Dwadasi will feature the Chakra Snanam ritual from 5:30 a.m. to 6:30 a.m.

To manage the large influx of pilgrims, TTD will issue Slotted Sarva Darshan (SSD) tokens at 90 counters in Tirupati and four in Tirumala. “Token distribution will begin at 5 a.m. on Thursday, with 1.2 lakh tokens being issued for darshan from January 10 to January 12 daily on a first-come, first-served basis. During the 10-day festival, we have suspended the VIP break darshan, senior citizen slots, and other special category entries to prioritise darshan for common devotees. Only pilgrims with valid tokens or tickets will be allowed to enter queues at their designated time slots," Syamala Rao underlined.

He said during the 10-day festivities, accommodation bookings will be handled exclusively by the Tirumala's Central Reception Office, with online bookings suspended and local counters closed from January 8 to January 11. District police led by SP L. Subba Rayudu will deploy over 3,000 personnel to ensure safety and order during the festivities.