Tirupati: Tirumala witnessed a grand spiritual spectacle on Sunday night as the revered Garuda Vahana Seva drew more than three lakh devotees. The six-hour-long procession, marked by devotion and discipline, passed off without incident thanks to meticulous planning and coordinated efforts by the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD), the police, and the district administration.

Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu, in messages shared on his official ‘X’ and Instagram accounts on Monday, lauded the flawless conduct of the event and extended his appreciation to TTD officials, staff, Srivari Sevaks, police, APSRTC, and district authorities for ensuring a memorable experience for pilgrims. He also thanked devotees for their patience and devotion in upholding the sanctity of the sacred hills.

The devotion of pilgrims was evident as thousands camped overnight to secure vantage points along the four Mada streets, which together can hold up to 1.8 lakh people. By dawn, the galleries were filled to capacity, with many devotees having waited more than 24 hours for a glimpse of the deity.

Around 45,000 witnessed the procession from designated holding areas, while another 30,000 to 35,000 thronged the Vahana Mandapam and the temple precincts, where the Garuda Vahanam briefly halted after completing its circumambulation of the streets. Despite occasional showers, the devotees remained unmoved, holding their places in quiet reverence.

With private vehicles barred from the ghat roads to avoid congestion, APSRTC carried the weight of transportation. The corporation operated 2,747 trips uphill, ferrying over 1.05 lakh pilgrims, and 2,895 trips downhill, transporting more than 1.11 lakh.

The central bus station in Tirupati was crowded throughout the day, with buses leaving almost every minute but still struggling to meet the demand. Similar scenes played out at other boarding points for Tirumala-bound buses, underscoring the scale of the gathering.

Behind the scenes, thousands of volunteers and staff worked tirelessly to ensure pilgrims were cared for. About 3,500 Srivari Sevaks assisted in queue management and services, while 12,802 people received medical attention at healthcare centres.

Water consumption reached an astounding 64.33 lakh gallons over the day. Inside the sanctum, 78,986 devotees had darshan of Lord Venkateswara. The hundi collection for the day stood at Rs 3.79 crore, while 7.79 lakh servings of Annaprasadam were distributed and 3.92 lakh laddus were sold to devotees.

Security was equally elaborate, with over 4,700 police personnel, 1,500 vigilance staff, and 500 deputation officers deployed to maintain order. Senior officials, including TTD Executive Officer Anil Kumar Singhal, CV&SO K V Murali Krishna, and SP L Subbarayudu, monitored the situation throughout the day. TTD also posted sectoral officers across galleries to ensure facilities were maintained and crowd flow was managed smoothly.