The golden chariot procession dominated the religious proceedings on Sunday, the sixth day of the annual Brahmotsavams currently under way at the temple of Lord Venkateswara here.
The processional deity of Lord Malayappa Swamy and His two consorts were mounted atop the refulgent chariot.
Thousands of devotees queued up on either side of the mada streets to catch a glimpse of the majestic ride organised in the evening even as the overcast sky provided a perfect backdrop to the procession.
The entire town wore a festive look and the air was electrified with the chanting of ‘Govinda namam’ by the assembled devotees who went up in raptures as the chariot hurtled by.
In a pilgrim-friendly initiative, the TTD, for the first time in a couple of decades, allowed the pilgrims to pull the chariot, a privilege that was hitherto confined to the spouses of the top echelons and mandarins of the temple administration.
The TTD engineering personnel were red-faced, and expressed their disapproval at allowing a retired employee mount the chariot and guide the movement of the vehicle, a task that is generally entrusted to the regular employees.
Earlier in the day, Lord Malayappa Swamy, in the attire of Sri Ramachandra Murthy, was taken out in a grand procession on ‘Hanumantha Vahanam’, which was attended by a host of dignitaries who included Chief Justice of India (CJI) Uday Umesh Lalit, Chief Justice of the A.P. High Court Prashant Kumar Mishra, and acting Chief Justice of the Madras High Court T. Raja.
Later in the afternoon, ‘Vasanthotsavam’ and ‘Asthanam’ were carried out to the deities inside the temple.
The day-long festivities climaxed with the procession of ‘Gaja Vahanam’ in the night.
