TIRUPATI: The temple town of Tiruchanoor, which has been witnessing religious events for the past eight days, is now gearing up for the Panchami Theertham, with which the mega-religious nine-day annual festival of Karthika Brahmotsavams will conclude on Monday.
Temple priests fixed the muhurat of the Panchami Chakra Snanam between 11.40 and 11.50 am in the temple tank Padma Pushkarini. The day is considered to be auspicious since legends say that Goddess Padmavathi emerged from the divine lotus of this Pushkarini on this day, hence the name.
Elaborate arrangements have been made by the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) since tens of thousands of pilgrims from Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Telangana state, and Kerala, apart from Andhra Pradesh, throng the temple tank to take the holy bath during the auspicious muhurat. TTD executive officer A.V. Dharma Reddy on Sunday inspected the arrangements.
Briefing the media on the arrangements, the EO said that in view of the heavy rush for the Panchami, the TTD’s vigilance wing along with the police department made elaborate security arrangements for the fete. In addition to 2,500 policemen, 1,000 Srivari Sevaks, TTD vigilance, Scouts and Guides, and the NCC are deployed to provide safety and security to devotees.
The TTD Annaprasadam wing has set up 120 food courts at various places and organised a stock of 1.75 lakh water bottles under the health department, besides different beverages and anna prasadam. Around 500 toilets have been set up, and 700 sanitary workers are deployed to maintain hygiene. Three primary health centres have been set up in the sheds, along with one ambulance each, two more ambulances near the temple and Tholappa gardens, and another 10 vehicles, along with medicines, paramedical staff, and doctors, he explained.
TTD appealed to devotees to cooperate with police, vigilance, and volunteers and reach the Pushkarini from the sheds without hassles. Since the Panchami Theertham Snanam significance lasts throughout the day, the TTD urged devotees to be patient and experience the holy bath without fail during the day.
