After evaluating several alternatives to deal with the ever increasing crowd thronging the temple of Lord Venkateswara, the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) seems to have at last stumbled upon an appropriate option – ‘Two-tier darshan’ system.
Concerned over complaints that the visiting devotees are being mercilessly pushed and shoved inside the hill temple, the management has been exploring several solutions for the perpetual crisis when the TTD’s Executive Officer M.G. Gopal came up with the innovative idea of introducing the multi-tier darshan system. Even though the viability of the new concept remains to be established, it is being seen as a suitable alternative at least for the time being. Simultaneously, the management has been experimenting with the idea for the past few days to ascertain its efficacy.
According to the new application, devotees will be allowed in two lines for darshan from the silver gate (Vendi Vakili) into the sanctum sanctorum through the Bangaru Vakili. While one row of devotees will be allowed to walk on the high-rise wooden ramps specially designed to suit the purpose, the second row of devotees will be allowed to pass through the floor.
The devotees will be allowed to have darshan of the presiding deity at the Jaya-Vijaya (Dwarapalakas) point as in the Maha Laghu Darshan system.
The management had apparently experimented both the two and three-tier darshan systems. Initial reports suggested that implementation of the two-tier darshan proved a bit effortless against the proposed three-tier system given the natural built-in constraints of the ancient temple structure.
When contacted, Mr. Gopal exuded confidence that a solution will be soon hammered out. The management, not to take any chance, is experimenting with various other options also. If everything goes on expected lines, the two-tier darshan system will soon find place in the darshan of the Tirumala deity.
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