No entry for devotees into Tirumala shrine from Aug 10 to 16

​Tirupati: Devotees would not be allowed to enter the Lord Venkateswara temple complex for six days from August 10 for the conduct of a special ritual that is held once in 12 years, according to Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) Board chairman Putta Sudhakar Yadav.

This is the first time that devotees are not being permitted inside the complex during the conduct of the ritual. The 'Astabandhana Balalaya Mahasamprokshanam' ritual is conducted to undertake minor structural repairs inside the sanctum sanctorum of the ancient shrine, he said after the board meeting on Saturday.

The high priests would plug them using a paste made of several herbs that is harder than concrete amid chanting of Vedic hymns, he said, adding that the board had resolved not to allow devotees during the period.

The devotees would also not be allowed to travel on all routes, including the 10 km long stairway leading to the hill temple from Tirupati, during the period, he said. Devotees should make alternative arrangements during this period. They would be allowed into the shrine at the crack of dawn on August 17, he added.

This ritual involves applying of a paste made of eight substances to reinforce the deity on the pedestal and also taking up the repairs required any in the Garbha graham (where others are barred from entry) by the priests belonging to Vaikhanasa sect amidst chanting of Hymns from Scriptures. Other rituals like Santhi Yogam also will be performed as part of the ritual.

TTD Executive Officer Anil Kumar Singhal replying to questions from mediapersons said that there is no move to stop the pilgrims at Tirupati footpath (Alipiri) or toll gate leading to the hill top temple town during the religious fete and they can proceed but will not have Darshan.

However, the TTD announcing the decision to stop darshan for a week, only less than a month before bound to cause lot of inconvenience to pilgrims coming from far off places as they are likely not to be aware of the suspending of darshan in Tirumala temple which attracts daily on an average more than 70000 pilgrims from nook and corner of the country.

Sources said the TTD management had failed to note the ritual in its 2018 calendar, diary, Panchangam and other publications that would have helped the devotees to know the suspension of darshan in the temple a year in advance.