Religious fervour marked the ‘Ankurarpanam’ festival observed on Monday at the famous hill temple of Lord Venkateswara.
The festival marked a prelude to the nine-day annual Salakatla Brahmotsavams slated to begin at the hill temple with ‘Dwajarohanam’ on Tuesday. The entire town wore a festive look. The main temple complex was decorated with flowers and illuminated with colourful lights. Huge electrical cut-outs, depicting various images of Lord Venkateswara and Goddess Padmavathi were erected at focal points where the pilgrim congregation was huge. The TTD has also pressed into use, huge digital mobile screens to provide a clear depiction of the daily processions.
Over half a dozen caparisoned elephants, horses and bulls were also commissioned up from Tirupati for the daily processions of the Lord. Scores of bhajan troops, particularly from the neighbouring states of Karnataka and Maharashtra have come.
ADVERTISEMENT
Thousands of Sri Vari Seva volunteers come to the temple town . Besides augmenting the drinking water supply to all cottages and guest houses, the temple administration has made elaborate arrangements at its massive Nitya Annadanam complex to provide free food to all visiting pilgrims.
As part of traffic regulation, restrictions were imposed at certain vantage points for vehicles besides identifying spacious parking lots.