Thousands of devotees from several parts of Tamil Nadu on Saturday found their way to Tirumala, abode of Lord Venkateswara, walking hundreds of kilometres, to mark the auspicious third Saturday of the sacred Peratasi month.
During the last 24 hours, in spite of downpour in several parts of Chittoor and Tamil Nadu, the devotees clad in yellow robes, including the aged, women and children, were seen spanned out along the inter-State national highways from Tamil Nadu at Nagari, Puttur, Chittoor and Kuppam.
For generations, it remains a family tradition in hundreds of villages in Tamil Nadu to send one family member to Tirumala during Peratasi month to join the walkathon. Thousands of groups would be formed by the start of Peratasi month falling in September or October.
Devotees from Tirunelveli and even down South would cover over 800 kilometres taking 25 days to a month. However, the pedestrian pilgrims peak from Dharmapuri, Salem and Dharmapuri for the third Saturday (which fell on October 3). A pilgrim party from Hosur in TN on the way to Tirumala said that they plan their sacred march well in advance.
“Generally, we prefer to carry two pairs of clothes and a steel plate and a water bottle and a little cash. After we reach Tirumala, our people here deposit required money in our account so that we can draw there.
This makes our journey safe. We depend on cheaper roadside hotels for food and agriculture borewells for bathing. We always receive the best patronage all along our way to Lord’s abode,” Ganapathi, a 50-year-old man, who has been walking to Tirumala for the last two decades, said.
Another pilgrim group from Uttukottai on the Nagalapuram-TN border said that they could cover the 100-km distance to Tirumala in three days.
“Chanting of Govinda Govinda namam will make us forget all the tedium and we start walking with recharged vigour. Even people who are nearly 80 years find no difficulty in the adventurous and sacred walk,” Panner sundar, a 65-year-old devotee says.
For generations, it remains a family tradition in hundreds of villages in Tamil Nadu to send one family member to Tirumala during Peratasi month to join the walkathon
