Three Arjitha Sevas to be resumed in November 2nd week

Tirumala: The TTD has resolved to resume three Srivari Arjitha (payment based) sevas at Tirumala temple.

The TTD on Sunday said that bowing to devotees demand, it has decided to resume the three Arjitha Sevas including Dolotsavam, Arjitha Brahmotsavam and Sahasra Deepalanakara Seva (SD Seva) on virtual platforms on an experimental basis inside Srivari temple from November 2nd week, duly adhering to Covid-19 guidelines..

Ahead of the commencement of the Arjitha Sevas, the TTD on Sunday conducted the three Arjita Sevas - Dolotsavam, Arjita Brahmotsavam and Sahasra Deepalankara Seva on an experimental basis in ekantham in view of the Central and State Covid guidelines.

For the performance of Arjitha Brahmotsavam and SD Seva which were held outside the shrine, the deities Lord Malayappa and His consorts were brought out in a flower-decked palanquin, outside the temple for the first time after seven months, after the sevas were suspended following

the closure of the shrine for darshan due to nationwide lockdown on March 22.

The Dolotsavam, one of the Arjitha Sevas, which the TTD planned to resume was held in Ayana Mahal (Mirror Hall) in the shrine while the two

other Arjitha Sevas Arjitha Brahmotsavam in Vaidbhavotsava Mandapam and Sahasra Deepalankara Seva in SD Seva Mandapam near the shrine.

Devotees who were allowed to witness the SD Seva (held in the open) in which the idols of Lord Malayappa along with His consorts were placed on a decorated swing rocked gently by the priests to the accompaniment of traditional music and devotional songs, with the backdrop of lights, enthralling the devotees who in ecstasy chanted loudly Govinda Govinda reverberating the skylines. After the SD Seva, the deities were taken in a procession in the Mada streets around the shrine, before the idols were taken back into the temple. The people in the mada streets who were not aware of the procession were in for a pleasant surprise to witness the deities in a procession after they offered prayers with folded hands.

The TTD in tune with the resuming of Arjitha Sevas also started the preparations for release of the tickets online for the booking of the three Arjitha Sevas tickets on payment basis from November second week.

However, the TTD made it clear that the Arjitha Seva tickets did not entitle darshan of Lord for which the devotees have to separately purchase special darshan tickets paying Rs 300 each. In other words the resuming of the three Arjitha Sevas helps the TTD to get more revenue and also increase the number of devotees being allowed for darshan daily to about 25,000.

The Arjitha Sevas which will be conducted in ekantham with no participation of the devotees in the temple, however it will be telecast live by the SVBC. The devotee grihasthas who purchase the Arjitha Seva tickets would watch the live telecast in traditional dress. As per earlier practice the list of names and gotras of devotee grihasthas will beplaced at the feet of the Lord.

It may be recalled that the TTD has already resumed the Srivari Nitya Kalyanotsavam from August 7 onwards on a virtual platform which received overwhelming response from the devotees.

It may also be noted that the Srivari annual Brahmotsavam in September and the Srivari Navaratri Brahmotsavam in October were also held in Ekantham inside Srivari temple as per Covid-19 guidelines.

Meanwhile, Tirumala Srivari temple recorded the highest number of devotees having darshan of the Lord on Saturday.

According to the temple sources, 24,421 pilgrims had darshan in Tirumala temple which is the highest after the shrine resumed darshan on June 11 after closing the shrine for about three months following the nationwide lockdown.