TIRUMALA, OCTOBER 08, 2024: Several lakhs of devotees thronged the Tirumala temple shrine to witness the Garuda Seva on Tuesday, the fifth day of the nine-day annual Brahmotsavams of Sri Venkateshwara Swamy
The pilgrim crowd had started swelling from Monday evening onwards. The day started with the Mohini avataram procession in the morning. The Lord, as Goddess Mohini, was taken around the Mada streets in an exquisitely decorated ivory palanquin.
Even after it was over, the devotees stayed put on the steps of the Mada streets, fearing non-availability of space durng the mega Garuda seva procession, which was scheduled for the night. They spent more than 10 hours seated, braving the hot sun. Police manning various entry points had a tough time regulating the teeming crowd. Incidentally, the Srivari Sevaks had served the devotees with water, milk, buttermilk, snacks and other food items.
The processional deity of Lord Malayappa, mounted atop the golden ‘Garuda vahanam’, adorned with very rare and precious jewels such as ‘Lakshmi kasula haram’, ‘makarakanti’, ‘karna patralu’, diamond-studded golden crown, and ‘kati and abhaya hastams’, was taken out in a grand procession around the mada streets encircling the temple.
The procession passed by amid the chanting of ‘Govinda namam’ by thousands of congregated devotees. Adding to the fervour, the devotees offered ‘harati’ from their respective positions. The performances of cultural troupes in front of the Garuda seva vahana had captivated the devotees. TTD Executive officer J Syamala Rao and others were also present.
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