This New Year, TTD will not give VIP passes for darshan of Tirupati Balaji

It is a tradition for Indians to always look for shortcuts, even when going to have a darshan of Lord Venkateswara at Tirupati and, in order to avoid chaos, the administration of Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) has taken a decision to ban VIP passes for the darshan on New Year Day. In view of the huge rush of devotees on that day, the administration of the famous hill shrine of Lord Venkateswara has decided not to entertain requests from VIPs.
This has been reported in ibnlive.com dated 30 December 2015.

TTD manages the cash-rich temple and, this is the first time it has taken such a bold decision of not entertaining all kinds of recommendation letters issued by VIPs for darshan and other facilities. They issue such requests to their near and dear ones who come to visit the hills on January 1.
However, only protocol VIPs would be given priority in getting accommodation and special entry tickets for darshan on payment. Moreover, as part of the arrangements to manage the crowd, the temple management has cancelled all daily rituals, including 'Kalyanotsavam' (celestial wedding) on January 1.
In order to ensure thast all devotees get a chance to have a darshan of Lord Balaji, they would be allowed into the temple uninterruptedly from dawn to beyond midnight on the New Year day. A thick security blanket would be thrown in and around Tirumala hills including the 10-Km long stairway that leads to the shrine.

(Image courtesy wikimediacommons.org)

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