Tirumala, July 10, 2013: “Koil Alwar Thirumanjanam’ was performed at the sacred hill temple of Lord Venkateswara on Tuesday amid religious ecstasy.

The festival was carried out as a prelude to the annual ‘Ani vara Asthanam’ slated on July 16.

As part of the festival the entire sanctum sanctorum including the pillars, walls, ceiling and flooring were thoroughly cleaned with water.

A rich herbal paste containing a mixture of refined sandalwood powder, high quality turmeric, camphor, vermilion which acts as disinfectant was applied to all the walls and pillars inside the sanctum as well as at all the sub-temples situated inside the temple complex. All the idols placed inside the sanctum sanctorum were taken out and the main deity was provided with water proof covering during the cleansing festival.

Led by the TTD Chairman K. Bapiraju and Executive Officer M.G. Gopal, over 400 employees participated in the cleansing festival that lasted for more than four hours.

Interrupted

The darshan lines which were interrupted in the morning resumed at 11.00 am.

In connection with the festival the temple administration on its part cancelled the performance of the Astadala Padmaradhana seva inside the temple. Prominent among others who participated in the festival include the TTD’s JEO KS Srinivasa Raju, CVSO GVG Ashok kumar, Peishkar R. Selvam and other officials.

Source: The Hindu, DT. July 10, 2013.