All arrangements are in place for the smooth conduct of the ‘Sri Sita Rama Kalyanam’ on Thursday.
The festival will be conducted as a State function, and the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) and the Kadapa district administration are leaving no stone unturned for its success.
The two-hour event on Thursday night will be conducted at the specially spruced up ‘Kalyana Vedika’, a permanent structure built by the TTD after taking over the Vontimitta temple a few years back. Over a lakh devotees are expected to converge at the venue and as such, officials have arranged special galleries to accommodate them.
Of the three entry thresholds, the central ‘Dwara’ is meant for reception to the Utsava idols of Sri Sita and Rama, while devotees will enter and exit through the other two.
Elaborate arrangements
Fifty experts from Bengaluru have been roped in to spruce up the ‘Kalyana Vedika’ with floral decorations using orchids, cut roses, imported flowers and a variety of fruits and plantain leaves. For the first time, the TTD has installed sheds using German technology to accommodate the devotes. Carpeted seating avenues have been created below the sheds to protect the devotees from the heat. TTD has set up 75 food courts and has stocked six lakh drinking water sachets and two lakh buttermilk sachets, while food packets will be distributed to every devotee from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m.
Superintendent of Police Abhishek Mohanty reviewed the security arrangements for the function, which is likely to be attended by the Governor and Chief Minister.
Mr. Mohanty directed diversion of traffic during the time of the VVIPs’ visit to the temple. A special platform with strong barricading is also erected beside the Kalyana Vedika, for the benefit of the VVIPs.
