Religious ecstasy marked Garuda Seva here on October 19, the fifth day of the ongoing Navaratri Brahmotsavams.
The processional deity of Lord Malayappa, mounted atop the golden ‘Garuda vahanam’, adorned with very rare and precious jewels such as ‘Lakshmi kasula haram’, ‘makarakanti’, ‘karna patralu’, diamond-studded golden crown, and ‘kati and abhaya hastams’, was taken out in a grand procession around the mada streets encircling the temple.
The procession passed by amid the chanting of ‘Govinda namam’ by thousands of congregated devotees. Adding to the fervour, the devotees offered ‘harati’ from their respective positions.
Special arrangements were made for the devotees who could not find a place for themselves to witness the procession from the galleries. The procession was also advanced by half an hour to 6.30 p.m.
Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) officials had a tough time meeting the requirements of the teeming devotees and ensuring them an uninterrupted supply of food, drinking water, milk and buttermilk sachets. The pilgrims remained seated in the galleries since afternoon undeterred by the scorching sun.
TTD Chairman B. Karunakar Reddy, along with Executive Officer A.V. Dharma Reddy and JEO Veerabrahmam, interacted with the devotees and enquired about the arrangements.
The galleries, which can hold around two lakh pilgrims, were full to their capacity by evening.
Earlier in the day, the procession of ‘Mohini avataram’ was taken out. The deity adorned in the special attire of the mythological ‘Mohini’ was taken in a procession on an exquisitely decorated ivory palanquin.
