Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) announced that the annual Srivari Pavitrotsavam, one of the most important purification rituals performed at the renowned Tirumala temple, will be held from August 23 to August 25. The sacred festival will begin with the Ankurarpanam ritual on August 22. That will be followed by three days of special religious rituals for Lord Venkateswara.
Called the Kaliyuga Vaikuntham, Tirumala Temple is a popular festival in India and the world for lakhs of people every year. Pavitrotsavam is a ritual that is performed every year according to Agama Shastra as an atonement for the mishap or mistake made by the temple authorities, staff, or the devotees in the course of the various poojas, sevas, festivals, and temple activity.
TTD said the festival will protect the temple’s sanctity and spiritual purity. There are some special rituals and ceremonies to perform at the period of three days, with great dedication and religious significance.
Snapana Tirumanjanam, a sacred purification ceremony, will be conducted daily from 9:00 AM to 11:00 AM in the Sampangi Prakaram of the temple from August 23 to August 25. In the evening, Sri Malayappa Swamy and Sri Devi and Bhu Devi will go on a grand procession of the Mada Streets around the temple, and the deities will be festively decorated.
The festival will have sacred pavitra garlands from August 23 to August 25, and the final Poornahuti ritual on August 25. The festival will be attended by thousands of devotees who will pray to Lord Venkateswara on this auspicious day.
Due to Pavitrotsavam celebrations, TTD has temporarily cancelled some paid services. On August 22, the Sahasra Deepalankara Seva will not be held. In addition, from August 23 to August 25, some of the popular services like Kalyanotsavam, Unjal Seva, Arjitha Brahmotsavam, and Sahasra Deepalankara Seva will be cancelled. TTD also announced the cancellation of Ashtadala Pada Padmaradhana Seva on August 25 and Vivahotsavam on August 26.
TTD has also made some temporary changes to the Sarva Darshan token distribution system. The temple administration has suspended the distribution of SSD (Sarva Darshan) tokens, which were supposed to be issued on Wednesday at Srinivasam, Vishnu Nivasam, and Bhudevi Complex counters in Tirupati. Tokens that would be issued on Wednesday for Thursday darshan will not be distributed.
Instead, devotees who arrive without SSD tokens are advised to travel directly to Tirumala and enter the Vaikuntham Queue Complex for Sarva Darshan. TTD says regular SSD token distribution for Friday darshan will resume from Thursday afternoon.
The temporary suspension of SSD token distribution has received mixed reactions from devotees. Some were not happy about it, but TTD said that the initiative is being implemented for seven consecutive Wednesdays. The goal is to help pilgrims who come to Tirumala without having been issued tokens to have a better darshan experience.
On Tuesday, TTD distributed 10,000 SSD tokens for Srivari darshan so token holders can have darshan on Wednesday between noon and 10 PM. Furthermore, 2,000 tokens have been distributed to devotees who take the Srivari Mettu footpath to Tirumala.
TTD has advised pilgrims planning a visit during the Pavitrotsavam period to be informed of service cancellations and darshan arrangements to ensure a smooth and spiritually fulfilling pilgrimage experience.
