BEDI HANUMAN TEMPLE AND AKHILANDAM

Tirumala, October 25: Right opposite to Mahadwaaram of the Srivari Temple  at Tirumala is the temple of Bedi Hanuman  and the grand stand of  Akhanda on a high platform about a furlong away  . A visit to the temple and the Akhanda  marked the end of  the  paada yatra  vow of the pilgrims .

Bedi Anjaneya temple:

It is said that the young Hanuman wanted to leave the Tirumala hills in search of a camel and to  stop him from doing so, his mother , Anjana Devi tied both his hands with a “bedi”(cuffs) and ordered him to stay right at the place till she returned.Lord  Hanuman conceded to this day he is seen standing in  front of Mahadwaaram. Anjana Devi stayed back near Akasa Ganga and never returned to this place. It may also be noted that every time after neivedyam is offered to Lord Srinivasa and Varahaswamy, the neivedyam is brought to  this temple.

In front of the Mahadwaaram of the Srivari Temple there is an Akanda jyothi also known as “AKHILANDAM” and pilgrims after climbing the hills by foot come to this place, break a coconut and light camphor and joss sticks.

“Although we changed lot of things in front of Srivari Temple we have kept the Akhandam and the coconut platform in view of the deep connection between the devotees and Tirumala”,says the TTD Executive Officer Sri MG Gopal.

About a decade ago the Bedi Anjaneyaswami Temple was located on Sannidhi Street on a platform opposite the main temple. (In the Vaishnavite tradition, it is customary to have either Garuda or Anjaneya opposite the main temple)  After the demolition of thousand pillar temple  and the shops on the Sannidhi street  the akhandam and also the Bedi Anjaneya temple have been pushed back on to the elevated platform housing the Asthana Mantapam.

Coconut Hundi :

It is staggering to note that record one lakh coconuts are broken every day at the front of the Bedi Anjaneya temple. What was normally a ritual for the pilgrims who came by walk is now practiced by even other devotees who come by road.

Vijay Kumar the supervisor who sells coconuts on behalf of the temple says that the TTD has fixed the price of Rs. Ten for a packet of  coconut, camphor   and joss sticks . “People break one for every half  a second and donate one portion to the temple in the hundi “, he said  .

A temple official said “We clear the coconut hundi thrice in a day “. All the donated coconut is sent to the Annadanam kitchen for preparation of food items.

Akhandam :

A huge platform created infront of coconut hundi and the Bedi Anjaneya temple has become a venue for the devotees to burn a camphor and light joss sticks after they break a coconut. “The process marks the completion of our vow to Lord Venkateswara “says Nirmala Krishnan, a devotee who had come all the way from Kanchipuram on foot with her family.

The devotees have been facilitated with a huge lamp stand, 20 feet high donated by the Kanchi acharya His Holiness Sri Vadi Kesari Alagiya Manavala Jeeyar Swamigal .The pontiff lightied the Maha Deepam at Akhandam in front of Srivari Temple at Tirumala and offered special prayer.

Thousands of devotees use the huge lamp stand to complete their vow to the deity of Tirumala even today.

ISSUED BY THE PUBLIC REATIONS  OFFICER,TTDS,TIRUPATI