A group of devotees from Tamil Nadu on Saturday had a bitter experience at Alipiri when the TTD vigilance and security personnel prevented them from trekking up to Tirumala on the pretext that they were carrying wind instruments along with them.
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When the devotees, who were all dressed in yellow attires sporting tilakam on their foreheads, tried to explain them that they belonged to a bhajan troop and were coming all the way on foot from their native State singing devotional songs in the praise of Lord as part of their tradition, the vigilance sleuths did not heed their requests and, in turn, directed them to secure permission from senior TTD authorities.
Appalled at the stubborn stance adopted by security personnel the team, led by Chakravarthy, appealed to them that they had covered a distance of over 300 km on foot to reach the town and that be allowed to trek up to the hill town along with their instruments on humanitarian grounds. “We have been practicing the tradition for the past 30 years and never did we come across such a restriction. Moreover, how can we sing devotional songs without our percussion devices.,” a devotee said.
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A security officer at Alipiri checking point said that restrictions (though not officially announced) were imposed after the outbreak of pandemic, further added to the confusion.
The controversy, however, subsided after the intervention of BJP spokesperson G. Bhanuprakash Reddy, who termed it unfair on the part of the TTD and appealed to the latter not to act against the sentiments of devotees.
Meanwhile, a senior security official on the condition of anonymity said that though there was no prohibition on carrying of wind instruments as such officially, private parties as a matter of security concern were not allowed to play them along the Mada Streets. He, however, evaded a direct reply when asked whether playing of wind instruments by devotees while singing devotional songs was prohibited along the Mada Streets.