Thousands of devotees congregate on the steps of the Tirumala ‘Pushkarini’ to take a holy dip during ‘Chakrasnanam’ on Wednesday.
The annual Brahmotsavams of Lord Venkateswara concluded on Wednesday with 5.76 lakh devotees having darshan of the presiding deity during the last eight days.
The TTD made extensive arrangements for the massive pilgrim turnout and successful conduct of the festival.
At a media briefing, TTD Chairman B.R. Naidu, along with Executive Officer Muddada Ravichandra, said the Brahmotsavams held from September 15 to 22, were conducted smoothly through the coordinated efforts of the priests, officials and employees, district and police administration, and personnel of allied departments.
The temple received an income of ₹28.94 crore in ‘hundi’ offerings during the festival, while 33 lakh laddus were sold. The TTD distributed 21.84 lakh ‘annaprasadam’ servings, while 2.04 lakh devotees offered their hair as part of their vows.
Garuda Seva, the principal attraction of the Brahmotsavams, drew intensive arrangements, with Mr. Naidu stating that all devotees were facilitated darshan. As many as 3,000 police personnel and 2,400 vigilance staff were deployed during the festival, with another 1,000 policemen specially drafted on Garuda Seva day.
The APSRTC operated 13,671 trips from Tirupati to Tirumala, carrying 3.92 lakh passengers, and 13,584 trips in the opposite direction, transporting 4.97 lakh passengers. Advance traffic and parking arrangements were made to regulate the heavy movement of vehicles.
The festival also witnessed a major cultural showcase, with 295 traditional art troupes, comprising nearly 7,871 artistes from 20 States and one Union Territory, performing ahead of the vahana sevas. For the first time, foreign art troupes participated in the celebrations.
The town was adorned with elaborate floral decorations employing around 60 tonnes of flowers, four lakh cut flowers and 80,000 seasonal flowers. Thirty-six large digital screens were installed to help devotees watch the vahana processions from various locations.
The scale of the arrangements was particularly evident on Garuda Seva day, when 3,500 sanitation workers were deployed to keep the hill shrine clean amid the massive crowds. Nearly 173 tonnes of wet and dry waste generated during the day were collected, segregated and transported to the dumping yard, reflecting the TTD’s focus on sanitation alongside crowd management during the festival.
Mr. Naidu also profusely thanked the print and electronic media for providing a massive coverage of the festival.
Published – September 23, 2026 09:15 pm IST
