Tirumala  March 25, 2014: Koil Alwar Thirumanjanam’ was performed on Tuesday in the hill temple of Lord Venkateswara amidst religious fervour in connection with the Telugu New Year’s Day – Sri Jayanama Samvatsara Ugadi that is scheduled for March 31.

The main purpose of performing koil Tirumanjanam is purification of sanctum sanctorum and temple premises. During the ceremony all the murthies and other articles are removed from santum santorum and the mula murthi is covered with water-proof covering. The entire garbhagriham, including floors, ceilings and walls are then cleaned and brushed well with plenty of water. The whole place is then smeared with kunkum, camphor, sandal paste, saffron, turmeric etc. as disinfectants. The covering of the main deity is then removed and the deities and other articles are replaced inside. Purification pujas and Naivedyams are then offered to the deity.

This ceremony performed strictly as per the agamas is usually conducted four times in a year i.e before Ugadi, Anivara Asthanam, Vaikunta Eakadasi and Annual Brahmotsavams.

TTD EO Sri M.G.Gopal, JEOs Sri K.S.Sreenivasa Raju, Sri Pola Bhaskar, Temple DyEO Sri Chinnamgari Ramana, Peishkar Sri R.Selvam and  employees took part in the mass cleansing temple festival which lasted from 6am to 10am on Tuesday. Later the pilgrims are allowed for darshan after 11am.

TTD board chief Sri K Bapiraju, EO Sri MG Gopal, Ex-officio board member Sri M Venkatramana, Tirumala JEO Sri KS Sreenivasa Raju, Temple DyEO Sri C Ramana and others were also present.

Meanwhile TTD has cancelled Astadala Pada Padmaradhana Seva in connection with this temple cleansing ceremony.