Tirumala: Celebrating the traditional temple budget festival
TIRUMALA: The annual traditional temple budget fete, Anivara Asthanam was held with utmost religious fervour in the hill shrine of Sri Venkateswara in Tirumala on Tuesday.
The ritual marks the commencement of annual accounts of Srivari temple on the last day of Tamil month Ani. This ritual was held at Bangaru vakili wherein the processional deities of Sri Malayappa Swamy along with Sridevi and Bhudevi accompanied by Sri Vishwaksenula Varu were seated in Garudalwar Sannidhi. The formalities of the fete were carried out in the presence of Tirumala pontiffs Sri Sri Sri Pedda Jeeyar Swami, Sri Sri Sri Chinna Jeeyar Swami and TTD EO J. Syamala Rao.
The Utsava idols were mounted on Sarva Bhupala Vahanam and later the special pujas were performed to the Mula Virat and utsava idols and Prasada Nivedana was offered.
Thereafter the senior Tirumala pontiff carried six pattu vastrams in a silver plate on his head entered Srivari temple amidst mangala vaidyams followed by his deputy and EO wherein four pattu silks were decorated to the Mula Virat, while one to Sri Malayappa and another one to Sri Viswaksena utsava idols.
As part of festive tradition, temple chief archaka wore “Parivattam” (Head Vastram) and spelt blessing “Nitya Aishvaryobhava”. Later archakas handed over “Lacchanna” – a key bunch of the temple to both the senior and junior Tirumala pontiffs and TTD EO. The Anivavara Asthanam fete concluded when the temple key bunch was placed at Srivari feet after offering “Rupayi”Harati, Chandanam, Tamboolam, Thirtham and Prasadams.
Speaking on the occasion, the TTD EO said in the past the custodians of Srivari temple, Mahants, kept accounts of income, expenses, reserves on annual basis and used to account the budget on this day of Anivara Astanam. Only after the TTD board set up, the annual accounting shifted to the March-April format.
Pradhana Archakas Venugopala Deekshitulu, Govindraja Deekshitulu, Mukhya Archaka Kiran Swamy, , temple Dy EO Lokanatham and other officials were present.
SRIRANGAM VASTRAMS OFFERED
On the auspicious occasion, following the tradition, special vastrams from Rangam temple of Tamil Nadu were offered to Venkateswara Swamy. In a procession which commenced at Pedda Jeeyar Mutt in Tirumala, Tamil Nadu Endowments Minister Sekhar Babu, Endowments Special Commissioner Kumara Guru Balan, Joint Commissioner Rangam Mariyappan presented the silks.
Both the senior and junior Pontiffs of Tirumala, JEO Veerabrahmam were present in this ceremony.
