Andhra Pradesh: Tirumala temple works out formalities for Vaikunta Ekadasi and 10-day Vaikunta Dwara Darshanam
The Hindu
Vaikunta Dwara Darshanam will be allowed from the early hours of January 2 till the midnight of January 11
The Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams has worked out modalities for organising ‘Vaikunta Dwara Darshan’ for 10 days from January 2.
It has resolved to dispense with the performance of Arjitha Sevas and various privileged darshan formats (like those extended to senior and physically challenged devotees) and offline sale of SriVani tickets on all the 10 days.
According to TTD Executive Officer A.V. Dharma Reddy, the ‘Vaikunta Dwaram’ encircling the innermost sanctum, which is opened only once in a year on the day of Vaikunta Ekadasi, would be ceremoniously opened around 1.30 a.m. on January 2, 2023, after completion of pre-dawn rituals. The VIPs would be allowed for darshan of the deity followed by general public.
The Vaikunta Dwara Darshanam would be implemented from the early hours of January 2 till the midnight of January 11.
VIPs coming in person alone will be entitled on Ekadasi day and no referral letters would be accepted. Also no individual would be allowed to have darshan of the deity from at Kulasekhara Alwar Padi.
While the VIPs would be facilitated with ‘ Laghu’ darshan, the general pilgrims will be allowed in Maha Laghu darshan. The procession of golden chariot and Vishnu Sahasranama Parayan would be organised on Ekadasi day morning followed by Chakrasnanam the next day.
The TTD has resolved to issue 2.5 lakh Special Entry Darshan (SED) tickets of ₹300 each at 25,000 tickets a day and 5 lakh tickets of Slotted Sarva Darshan (SSD) at 50,000 a day for the benefit of common devotees.
The Opposition Congress demanded that the government open the Gandhi Vatika Museum, depicting Mahatma Gandhi’s legacy and freedom struggle, built at a cost of ₹85 crore in Jaipur’s Central Park last year, during the Congress-led regime in Rajasthan. The museum has not been opened to the public, reportedly because of the administration’s engagements with the State Assembly and Lok Sabha elections.