Religious fervour marked the Telugu Plava nama Ugadi celebrations at the temple of Lord Venkateswara here on Tuesday.
Special rituals were conducted inside the temple welcoming the new year. Soon after the completion of the pre-dawn rituals “Visesha samarpana” was rendered to the deities of Malayappa and his two divine consorts followed by a grand procession around the Vimana Prakaram inside the hill temple.
Later, the presiding deity was ceremoniously adorned with new silk robes and the event was followed by Asthanam and the traditional Panchanga Sravanam at Bangaru Vakili (golden gate) inside the temple.
The temple was colourfully decorated with various hues of aromatic flowers and fruits befitting the occasion. About eight tonnes of flowers, in addition to 70,000 cut flowers besides several tonnes of fruits were used in the sprucing up the entire temple complex.
About 100 floral artists, who were specially invited for the purpose from Karnataka and Telangana, laboured for more than three days in garnishing the temple and its precincts.
The Dasavathara images of Maha Vishnu carved out with fruits and the idols of Lakshmi Narasimha Swamy etched with navadhanyams were the cynosure to the eyes of the devotees.
Books released
Later, TTD Chairman Y.V. Subba reddy along with Executive Officer K.S. Jawahar reddy released five books — Vaikhanasa Mahima Manjiri , Sri Uttama Brahma Vidyasaara , Vaikhanasopakhyaanam , Trisati and Dhyana Mukthavali — brought out in collaboration with Sri Venkateswara University.
A coffee table book Tirumala – Kaliyuga Vaikuntam with a comprehensive analysis on the hill temple, its structural importance, administrative set-up, facilities extended to the visiting pilgrims and a photographic depiction of various religious events and festivals conducted at the hill temple was also released.
