The Koil Alwar Tirumanjanam, one of the most important traditional purification rituals at the Sri Venkateswara Swamy Temple in Tirumala, was performed with religious fervour on Tuesday. The ceremony is performed at major temple festivals to spiritually and physically cleanse the temple premises.
After the completion of the ritual, Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) officials and temple staff undertook an extensive cleaning drive over the temple complex and prepared it for the forthcoming religious celebrations and the arrival of thousands of devotees.
As part of the centuries-old tradition, herbal paste (which is a natural cleansing and disinfectant) was prepared and applied to the walls, pillars, ceilings, and other surfaces inside the temple. The paste was carefully spread throughout the sanctum sanctorum (Garbhagriha) and various shrines within the temple complex.
The herbal mixture has been traditionally made with turmeric, sandalwood, camphor, aromatic herbs, and other sacred ingredients. Not only is the paste an image of spiritual purification, but it is also believed that it would help to keep the temple clean and preserve the stone structures through an herbaceous paste.
After letting the herbal coating remain for a specified period, temple workers and traditional staff would thoroughly wash the surfaces. The temple is then refreshed by the time devotees go to the temple for big religious events.
Koil Alwar Tirumanjanam is a Vaishnavite ritual conducted several times a year before special festivals such as the Annual Brahmotsavam, Vaikuntha Ekadasi, Ugadi, and the like. The ceremony is meant to convey the notion that the temple is a sacred living entity and deserves all respect, reverence, and ceremonial purification.
During the ritual, public darshan is generally suspended for a few hours to allow priests and temple staff to complete the elaborate purification process without interruption. The temple is reopened for devotees once the ritual and cleaning are completed.
The ceremony was performed in the presence of senior TTD officials, temple priests, Vedic scholars, and staff members who participated by chanting Vedic hymns and performing traditional rituals according to Agama Shastra.
Koil Alwar Tirumanjanam has great religious significance for Lord Venkateswara's faithful. The ritual not only represents the physical cleansing of the temple but also the spiritual cleansing of the sacred space before big religious festivities.
Andhra Pradesh: Koil Alwar Tirumanjanam performed at Tirumala temple.
— News Arena India (@NewsArenaIndia) July 14, 2026
Following the ritual, temple authorities and staff carried out an extensive cleaning of the temple premises.
A specially prepared herbal paste, known for its disinfectant properties, was applied to the… pic.twitter.com/rVy6F48yIC
Thousands of devotees are expected to visit Tirumala in the next few days for the upcoming celebrations, and completing the purification ritual stands as a significant step in the temple’s annual religious calendar.
Tirumala temple is maintaining the centuries-old rituals that have been passed down through generations, so that the shrine remains spiritually rich and well kept for millions of devotees from across India and the world.
