TIRUMALA, SEPTEMBER 13, 2026: The procession of the Holy Darbha mat and rope used for hoisting the sacred Garuda flag onto the temple post took place in Tirumala on Saturday.
TTD JEO Dr Sharath, along with TTD Deputy Conservator of Forest Sri Phanikumar Naidu, brought the divine materials to Srivari temple and placed them at Ranganayakula Mandapam.
These holy materials, prepared out of Darbha grass, will be used during the Dhwajarohanam ceremony to be held on September 15 between 6:21 pm and 6.35 pm in the auspicious Meena Lagnam.
A SNEAK PEEK INTO DIVINE JOURNEY OF DARBHA FROM FIELDS TO TEMPLE
Not just humans sanctify their lives by being a part of the nine-day mega religious festival of annual Brahmotsavams in Tirumala, but even the grass strands, seeds, flora and fauna also offer their selfless services to the Universal Supreme.
The process of preparing these holy items from Darbha grass begins two weeks in advance.
Among the two types of available Shiva Darbha and Vishnu Darbha, the second one is used in making rope and mats for Tirumala Brahmotsavams.
The TTD forest staff collects Vishnu Darbha from Chelluru village in Yerpedu mandal of Tirupati district and dried in low sunlight for a week, then cleans it thoroughly to prepare the sacred mat and rope.
The final products are remarkable in scale and precision.
Darbha Mat: 22 feet long, 7.5 feet wide, weighing around 200 kg; Darbha Rope: 250 metres long, weighing about 100 kg
Significance of Darbha grass
Scientifically named as Desmostachya bipinnata—the Darbha or Kusha has a significant role to play in Hindu religious traditions and is considered a sacred plant.
The Rigveda describes Darbha as a purifying material, while the Yajurveda states that sitting on Darbha gives the best results to the body. Scientifically, due to its high Silica content, Darbha purifies the atmosphere and eliminates micro-organisms. Therefore, the use of Darbha plays a prominent role in Vedic rituals.
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