Tirumala: The annual Srivari Salakatla Brahmotsavams at Tirumala concluded on Thursday in a spectacular manner, drawing lakhs of devotees and winning wide appreciation for the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) for its flawless planning and execution.

TTD chairman B R Naidu, addressing the media along with executive officer Anil Kumar Singhal after the ceremonial Chakrasnanam on Thursday, said that this year’s Brahmotsavams were conducted in a coordinated way by all departments, without causing inconvenience to common devotees.

“Our workforce displayed discipline, restraint, and meticulous planning under the guidance of senior officials, which ensured the smooth conduct of the festival,” he said, extending his gratitude to TTD Archakas, officials, employees, district and police administration, Srivari Sevaks, media, and devotees. The nine-day festivities began with Dhwajarohanam on September 24 and concluded with Dhwajavarohanam on October 2. During the nine days of the Brahmotsavams, 6.55 lakh devotees had darshan of Lord Venkateswara. The hundi collections during the period touched Rs 27.78 crore. Devotees also expressed satisfaction with the arrangements, Naidu noted. On the most important day of the festival, Garuda Seva, TTD ensured darshan for all devotees.

Special holding points accommodated 30,000 pilgrims, while another 15,000 were allowed darshan through second filling, in addition to those in galleries. Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu too expressed happiness over the smooth conduct of the festival through a congratulatory message on social media.

Naidu added that the scale of arrangements reflected the magnitude of the festival. More than 26 lakh devotees were served Annaprasadam, with 16 varieties distributed on Garuda Seva day alone. A total of 2.73 lakh devotees offered their hair, while over 28 lakh laddus were sold during the festival. APSRTC ran 14,459 trips ferrying 4.40 lakh devotees from Tirupati to Tirumala and 14,765 trips carrying 5.22 lakh devotees back, easing the flow of pilgrim traffic.

For the first time, 298 art troupes comprising 6,976 artists from 28 states performed during the Brahmotsavams. On Garuda Seva day alone, 780 artists from 20 states presented cultural programmes. Decorations too were on a grand scale, with 60 tonnes of flowers, 4 lakh cut flowers, and 90,000 seasonal blooms adorning the temple and processional routes.

To ensure devotees had a close view of the festivities, 36 large LED screens were set up at vantage points. The Sri Venkateswara Bhakti Channel (SVBC) broadcast the entire Brahmotsavam live in HD quality, with scholarly commentary, receiving appreciation from global audience.

Security was managed with the deployment of 5,000 police personnel and 1,800 vigilance staff, while parking was handled in a planned manner to prevent congestion. Calling the Brahmotsavams a collective achievement, chairman Naidu thanked all stakeholders for their contribution. “This year’s Brahmotsavams have set a benchmark in terms of planning, service, and devotion,” he said. TTD CVSO K V Murali Krishna, district SP L Subbarayudu, and several board members were also present at the press briefing.