Rush of pilgrims at Tirumala

Tirumala: As the EAMCET results were out and the dates for the re-opening of educational institutions fast approaching, there was a heavy rush of pilgrims for the darshan of Lord Venkateswara on Tirumala hills on Thursday. To facilitate early darshan for ordinary devotees, the TTD authorities suspended Rs. 300 darshan in the afternoon. A large number of devotees from the neighboring states of Tamilnadu and Karnataka were thronging the holy city. The authorities were taking all possible steps to meet the rush.

A large number of devotees were coming to the hills on foot. The officials said about 30 thousand people climbed the steps to come to Tirumala on Thursday itself. There was heavy rush at Narayanagiri park from where the devotees coming on foot go for darshan. All the 13 compartments allotted to them were full and the queue outside was stretched to one and half kilometers. Likewise, all the 31 compartments at the Vaikuntam queue complex were full and queue stretched up to MBC. There was long queue at the Kalyanakatta where the pilgrims offer their hair. It took about five hours for sarva darsham.