The Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams is conducting a three-day Sri Srinivasa Shantyotsava Sahita Dhanvantari Maha Yagam from March 19 to 21, as reported by Deccan Herald.

The Tirupati temple authorities are now seeking the divine blessings “to safeguard humanity from the dreadful Corona virus.”

The Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams is conducting a three-day Sri Srinivasa Shantyotsava Sahita Dhanvantari Maha Yagam from March 19 to 21. 

The ritual is to be conducted under the guidance of the Mantralaya Raghavendra Mutt Seer Shri Subudendratheertha Swamy and the administrators of the Visakha Sarada Peetham at the Paruveta Mandapam in Tirumala.

The TTD has been taking several precautions to avoid the COVID-19 spread on the Tirumala hill. Now the temple authorities have informed that from March 17 onwards, pilgrims need not wait in the Vaikuntam Queue Complex compartments as they would be allowed for darshan through time slot tokens.

“The measure is to avoid person to person contact. In their given time slots, pilgrims will be allowed for darshan in limited numbers. They should bring Aadhaar, voter, driving license etc. identification proofs along with them to get the tokens.

Devotees would be disallowed if they fail to come on time for darshan”, TTD Executive Officer Anil Kumar Singhal said on Saturday.

To avoid congregation of pilgrims for a long duration, certain Arjitha Sevas including Visesha Puja, Sahasra Kalasabhishekam and Vasanthotsavam will also be cancelled. Devotees cancelling these arjitha seva tickets can avail VIP break darshan upon request.

“All these measures are needed as Tirumala happens to be the pilgrim centre with the highest congregation of devotees,” the top TTD executive said.

TTD has announced the elaborate wedding ceremony of Vontimitta Sri Sita Rama as part of the annual brahmotsavams of the famous Sri Kodanda Ramaswamy temple in Kadapa district as cancelled this year. However this ritual will be done, but will include only few temple priests and authorities of the temple trust.

The Bhoomi Pooja for the construction of Sri Venkateswara Swamy temple at Mumbai, scheduled for April 5, is also postponed following Covid-19 threat, TTD said in a statement. 

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