Tirupati: The renowned Lord Venkateswara Temple in Tirumala witnessed an unprecedented influx of VVIPs, VIPs and dignitaries on Saturday, the auspicious Vaikunta Ekadasi.
Tens of governors, judges, elected representatives, bureaucrats and celebrities, apart from thousands of common devotees flooded the hill top temple.
Numerous ministers, MLAs and MPs from Andhra Pradesh and Telangana passed through the Vaikunta Dwaram (celestial gate) before having the darshan of Lord Venkateswara. Such a darshan is said to liberate devotees from the cycle of birth and rebirth.
High-profile visitors included former Chief Justice of India N.V. Ramana, Supreme Court judges Surya Kant, Hima Kohli, Prashant Kumar Mishra and Sarasa Venkatanarayana Bhatti, AP High Court judges T. Rajasekhar Rao, V. Sujatha, and M. Kiranmayee and Karnataka Governor Thawar Chand Gehlot.
Those from the political sphere include Andhra Pradesh deputy chief ministers Budi Muthyala Naidu and K. Narayana Swamy, assembly speaker T. Sitaram, deputy speaker K. Veerabhadra Swamy, and AP ministers including Peddireddy Ramachandra Reddy, Ambati Rambabu, Gudivada Amarnath, K. Venkata Nageswara Rao, G. Jayaram, P. Viswaroop, A. Suresh, Ushasri Charan, Merugu Nagarjuna and R.K. Roja.
MPs Dr. M. Gurumurthy, Vemireddy Prabhakar Reddy, C.M. Ramesh and Rammohan Naidu, YSRC rebel MP Raghurama Krishnam Raju, AP TDP president K. Atchannaidu and former TTD chairman Y.V. Subba Reddy had the darshan of the Lord. Tollywood celebrities like actor Rajendra Prasad and producer Bandla Ganesh were also spotted.
TTD chairman Bhumana Karunakar Reddy extended Vaikunta Ekadashi to all on the occasion. TTD executive officer A.V. Dharma Reddy said they started regular darshan 45 minutes early at 5:15 a.m. owing to swelling crowds. Special arrangements have been made, so that about 70,000 people can have darshan of Lord Venkateswara per day, for total 10 days.
Due to the heavy rush, the VIP parking area near Rambagicha guest houses got full, leading to vehicles getting parked haphazardly over a distance of nearly two kilometres.
