Brahmotsavams start in Tirumala

The nine-day Tirumala Tirupati Brahmotsavams are scheduled to take off today. Religious feeling manifested with the organising of ‘Ankurarpanam’ festival on Sunday at the temple of Lord Venkateswara in Tirumala. The festival is performed as an introduction to the nine-day annual Brahmotsavams scheduled to take off to a colourful start with ‘Dhwajarohanam’ on Monday.

In connection with the festival, Lord Vishvaksena was taken around the streets encircling the sacred shrine. The entire town wore a festive look and the air was charged with spiritual ecstasy. Mythology has it that Lord Vishvaksena goes round, supervising the arrangements being made for the grand conduct of the celebrations in Tirumala. As is the practice, he also collected the ‘Putta mannu’ at the south-west corner of the hill temple required for the ‘Yagasala’ inside the main temple complex where the priests after completion of certain special religious formalities ceremoniously sowed the ‘nava dhanyams’ in the sacred earthen pots for germination followed by Asthanam at the Ranganayakula mandapam. To facilitate the conduct of the grand procession, the temple administration has dispensed with the conduct of certain post-noon sevas like Vasanthotsavam and the Sashasra deepalankara seva.