As is the practice every year, a group of devotees from Chennai brought a special set of umbrellas to Tirumala on Monday, to be presented to the hill temple for use during the annual Brahmotsavam.
With the famous Garuda Seva slated to be held on Tuesday, the umbrellas have reached Tirumala in the evening, with the belief that the same will be used for the grand celestial spectacle. In fact, there are many such troupes that offer umbrellas to the temple on various auspicious occasions.
Under the banner of ‘Hindu Dharmartha Samithi’, a group of 300 devotees led by Hindu leader Gopalji brought a set of 11 umbrellas. The group started their holy trek in Chennai on Sept. 25 and reached Tiruvallur, 50 km away on the Tirupati highway, in three days, from where the same was brought by a vehicle. After handing over two umbrellas to Sri Padmavathi Ammavari temple at Tiruchanur in the morning, the devotees took the remaining nine to Tirumala.
In view of the heightened security situation, the umbrellas were made to pass through the security drill and the devotees had to undergo frisking at the old security check point at Alipiri. It may be recalled that some Hindu leaders leading the umbrella carriers last year were targeted by a Chennai-based terrorist module, which was busted in time by what has now become famously known as the ‘Puttur operation’. Frisking was made mandatory last year.
The umbrellas are made of pure white cloth with a red border, while the laces and ‘Zari’ add to their grandeur.
The milky-white double-canopy over the deity of Lord Venkateswara in a procession is a sight to behold for the devotees.
