Tirupati: The Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams that manages the Tirumala Venkateswara Temple and other temples in the locality and the endowments department are encouraging VIP culture by introducing Tirupati model darshan system in lesser-known temples, where there is no rush at all. The TTD manages several ancient temples in the vicinity like Padmavathi Ammavari temple at Tiruchanur and Kalyana Venkateswara Swamy temple at Srinivasamangapuram etc.
In Tirumala but for 'Sarva darshan', every darshan is chargeable. While the common man has to wait in the 'sarva darshan' queue complex for hours together even in lean days, VIPs or online ticket bookers can get the darshan within few minutes. The special entry fee in many local temples ranges from Rs 5 to Rs 20. At Sri Padmavathi Ammavari temple at Tiruchanur, usually visited by devotees after having a darshan of the Lord in Tirumala, charges Rs 100 per head for VIP darshan, Rs 20 as special entrance ticket, and Rs 500 per couple for Vedaseervachanam (blessings of vedic pundits).
Following suit, the Endowments Department, which manages temples like Sri Kalahasteeswara Swamy Temple in Sri Kalahasti and Sri Varasiddhi Vinayaka Swamy Temple in Kanipakkam in the district, too has started implementing darshan tickets that are not affordable by the common devotee. The Sri Kalahasti temple, which mints money through selling tickets of Sarpadosha Nivarana (Rahu-Kethu) pooja, has introduced another VIP ticket, which charges Rs 5,000 for two persons. Already four types of seating arrangements are made for those devotees who wish to perform this pooja.
