Holiday weekend triggers heavy rush at spiritual destinations

 Tirumala: With summer vacation underway and examination results being announced, a surge of pilgrims is being witnessed at popular spiritual destinations. The temple town of Tirumala experienced a significant influx on Sunday, a day after Intermediate exam results were declared. The weekendrush was further intensified by public holiday on Monday marking Dr BR Ambedkar’s birth anniversary, leading to long queues and overwhelming pressure on accommodation and temple services.

By 7 pm on Sunday, a total of 54,356 devotees had completed darshan, while queue for sarva darshan without time-slotted tokens had extended all the way to Narayanagiri area. The estimated waiting time ranged from 14 to 16 hours. All compartments were filled to capacity, and thousands of devotees stood patiently in the overflowing lines, enduring the long wait for a glimpse of Lord Venkateswara.

According to figures released by TTD, 72,923 pilgrims had darshan on Saturday. Of them, 35,571 offered tonsure as part of their vows. The Hundi collection for the day touched Rs 3.33 crore, underscoring the unwavering devotion of the visitors.

Accommodation facilities in Tirumala were stretched beyond their limits. All cottages, choultries, and guest houses were fully booked, forcing many pilgrims—especially those without prior reservations—to rest in open spaces, queue complexes, and shaded areas.

In response to the crowd, TTD deployed additional staff and made arrangements to ensure the availability of essential amenities such as drinking water, medical care, and sanitation. Authorities also appealed to pilgrims without slotted tokens to consider visiting on less crowded days and to cooperate with staff for the smooth functioning of temple activities.

Elsewhere in the region, temples in Tirupati and Chittoor districts also saw heavy pilgrim footfall. The Srikalahasti temple remained packed through the day, recording over 26,000 visitors. Of these, 5,723 devotees performed the popular Rahu Kethu pujas, while around 10,000 availed Seeghra Darshan, Special Entrance, and Antaralaya Darshan tickets.

In Kanipakam, long queues formed as devotees lined up to offer prayers to Swayambhu Varasiddhi Vinayaka Swamy. With the holiday season continuing, all temple authorities anticipate the rush to persist throughout the coming month, especially during weekends when pilgrim turnout is expected to rise further.