TIRUPATI: The management of the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) has stepped back from its earlier decision to cancel darshan to pilgrims during Maha Samprokshanam from August 11 to 16. A call from the Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh to revoke the decision settled the issue. It seems that the government was being blamed for the decision taken by the TTD trust board. A campaign began on social media demanding that the decision be revoked.
It seems that the government was being blamed for the decision taken by the TTD trust board. A campaign began on social media demanding that the decision be revoked. TTD EO Anil Kumar Singhal and TTD Trust Board chairman Putta Sudhakar Yadav addressed the media at Annamaiah Bhavan in Tirumala on Tuesday. The EO said that this decision was withdrawn on the instructions of Mr Chandrababu Naidu.
He said the Chief Minister has directed the TTD to ensure that there should not be any constraint to rituals and inconvenience to pilgrims during this period. “Now the decision is open to pilgrims. We will go with the opinion of the majority of pilgrims on the mode of darshan, whether to allot tickets online or to provide darshan on first come first serve basis based on the availability of time. We will receive feedback from pilgrims till July 23 since the board meeting is on July 24. A final call on how to provide darshan for pilgrims will be taken at the board meeting,” said Mr Anil Kumar Singhal.
He said that the decision to dispense with darshan to pilgrims from August 11 to 16 was taken in the larger interests of pilgrims “as we would be able to allot hardly 30 hours during the six day period of religious ceremony for darshan and during this time darshan would be provided to less than 15,000 pilgrims a day.”
