Date:21/09/2004 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2004/09/21/stories/2004092109660300.htm

Andhra Pradesh

A lakh line up for Garuda Seva

By Our Special Correspondent

TIRUPATI. Sept. 20. Nearly a lakh pilgrims congregated at Tirumala for Garuda Seva -- the prime festival during the ongoing nine-day annual Brahmothsavam. Devotees from Tirupati, its suburbs and other towns made a beeline for the hill station hours before the gilted Garuda carrying the bejewelled deity started off from the mandapam.

Rare ornaments

With the Lord decked up in rare ornaments like the Makara Kanthi, Lakshmi Haaram, and Salagrama Haaram a procession winded through the four mada streets around the temple with ecstatic devotees milling around and chanting Govinda Nama with religious frenzy.

Arrangements

The TTD made elaborate arrangements for visiting pilgrims to have a close and hassle-free darshan of the Lord who mounted on his favourite vahana, Garuda, floated down the mada street into a sea of humanity.

Police and the TTD officials had a tough time controlling the surging crowd. Though rain initially played spoilsport, it receded an hour before the procession resulting in a heavy influx of pilgrims on the hills.

All the half dozen sprawling parking lots specially developed for the fete were packed to capacity while police regulated traffic to avoid jams and any untoward incident.