Tirumala bustling with huge pilgrim activity, darshan time crosses 30 hours

TIRUPATI: Tirumala was witnessing an unprecedented rush, forcing the devotees to wait in the long queue lines for up to 30 hours or more for offering prayers to Lord Venkateswara on Thursday.

The pilgrim rush is attributed to the summer holidays. The Vaikuntam queue complex - I and II along with other vital points at the temple town have been bustling with pilgrim activity.

Temple management said that about 79,207 devotees worshipped at the Tirumala temple on Wednesday and the hundi donations there were of '3.19 crore in a single day. On Thursday evening, those in the queue lines had a wait of more than 30 hours to reach the main temple for darshan.

The Vaikuntam queue complex-II was full to its capacity since the wee hours on Thursday. Pilgrims were seen standing in the stretched queue lines. From the entry point to the queue line on the outer ring road, the devotees took a long walk to reach the Vaikuntam queue complex.

Devotees who didn’t get accommodation were seen resting on the footpaths and parks. TTD executive officer Dharma Reddy and senior temple functionaries ensured that the devotees waiting in the queue lines were supplied with food, water and other essentials throughout the waiting period.

This being the last day of Hanuman Jayanti celebrations, EO Dharma Reddy presented Pattu Vastrams to Anjana Devi Sameta Bala Anjaneya Swami at Anjanadri Akasaganga Theertham in Tirumala. Special Abhishekam to the deities and Chakra Snanam to Sudarshan Chakrattalwar were performed.