SRIVARI SEVA GOES HI-TECH
Began about 17 years ago with just 195 volunteers, today Srivari Seva voluntary service of TTD has reached by many leaps and bounds and now it is marching ahead with new energy with “Hi-Tech” touch being added to it.
MANAVASEVE MADHAVA SEVA
The richness of Hindu Sanatana Dharma is that it preaches “Manava sevaye Madhava Seva” which means “Service to Humanity is Service to Divinity”. With this motto TTD commenced Srivari Seva in November in the year 2000 with less than 200 volunteers and today till August 2017 about nine lakhs sevakulu have rendered services at different areas in Tirumala.
SEVAKULU HAIL FROM OVER DOZEN STATES
Apart from Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, these sevakulu hail from Tamilnadu, Karnataka, Kerala, West Bengal, Maharashtra, Orissa, New Delhi, Chhattisgarh and Jharkhand also. Even NRIs also perform Srivari Seva as part of their fulfilment of their vow in the devout service. On any given day not less than 1000 Sevaks will be on service while during festive and vacation seasons the figure triples.
SUPPORTING ARM TO TTD
Srivari Seva has emerged as a supporting arm to TTD with huge network of volunteers across compensating the staff crunch by offering free services at different places in Tirumala.
Their services are utilised in various wings like Annaprasadam, Vaikuntham Queue Complex, health, temple cleaning, Queue lines, Kalyana Katta, CRO, Garden, Vigilance, laddu counters, Four-mada streets, Srivari Tirunamam, Book stalls, coconut stalls, dispensaries, announcements etc.
SET TO REACH TEN LAKH MAGIC FIGURE BY NEXT YEAR
In the last 17 years so far (till August 31, 2017) 8.70lakh Srivari Seva volunteers have rendered service. Among them 5.80lakhs are female and 2.90 lakhs are male sevakulu. By 2018, Srivari Seva is set to touch the magic figure of Ten Lakhs.
Apart from general srivari seva which lasts for a week, TTD has also introduced two professional sevas, Parakamani and Laddu Prasada Seva five years ago, which are running on a successful note.
SRIVARI SEVA GOES ONLINE
To strengthen Srivari Seva voluntary service, TTD has opened doors to on-line booking of Srivari Seva and enabled registration to 1000 members which received overwhelming response from volunteers across the country. The first batch commenced during last August and till 2017 August, about 23 thousand odd sevakulu from 1700 odd teams took part in Srivari Seva through online.
The devotees who wish to render service from overseas and distant places within the country are also registering on-line and coming for the service of fellow pilgrims with enthusiasm.
PROFESSIONALS AND NRIs ALSO PARTICIPATE
Srivari Sevaks comprise of ordinary persons as well as professionals who come to render service with total surrender attitude before Lord Venkateswara to serve His devotees keeping aside their ego and offer selfless services. Elite people from Judiciary, Administrative, Police, Media, Bank officers, scientists from ISRO, Chartered Accountants, Software Engineers, Doctors and Management Experts also come and offer services without seeking any privilege.
SHORT TIME SEVA SOON
Under the instructions of TTD EO Sri Anil Kumar Singhal, in the supervision of Tirumala JEO Sri KS Sreenivasa Raju, three-day, four-day and special occasion sevas are also on chords which will be implemented soon. The idea behind these short term sevas is to enable more number of educated and employed youth to take part in the voluntary service.
WHY SRIVARI SEVA
Srivari Sevakulu strongly believes that “Srivari Seva not only enlivens spiritual life but also prepares body and soul to act as per the will of supreme Lord which is nothing but serving the fellow pilgrims with love and affection”. TTD is able to provide more transparent and speedy services to pilgrims with the effective involvement of srivari sevakulu. Especially their services at Laddu counters, in pilgrim surveys, milk distribution to children waiting in compartments etc. are remarkable.
ISSUED BY PUBLIC RELATIONS OFFICER, TTD, TIRUPATI