TIRUMALA- THE PARADISE OF FESTIVALS

Tirumala, Nov 10,2013: In the holy hills of Tirumala which houses the world famous temple of Lord Venkateswara, every day is a festival day. In fact there is no exaggeration that around 433 festivals are being observed all through 365 days since several centuries. There is a first mention about the different types of festivals in the inscription dating back to 1380AD in Sri Vari Temple.

These festivals are broadly classified into tingal and Visesha Divasams. Tingal Divasams are certain specials days of monthly occurrence in concurrence of certain auspicious stars occurring every month either in bright or dark fortnights. While the Visesha divas ams are special days relating to auspicious tithes or stars commemorating the birth of Alwars, Acharyas and incarnations of Lord.

The mention of tin gal and Visesha divas ams is also seen in the inscriptions dating back to 1488AD, 1504AD, 1562AD and 1819AD.

As per the comptehensive list of festivities that appear in the inscription of 1562 AD about 433 festivals were in vogue which includes 204 days of Visesha titunals which includes Brahmotsavams, Pavithrotsavams etc. while the tin gal divas ams were being observed for 217 days constituting nakshatrotsavams, pournimas etc.

Meanwhile Visesha Divasams that are observed in the temple includes festivals like Deepavali, Sri Rama Navami, Sri Krishna Jayanthi etc. which take the figure to 14 days. For centuries these festivals were being performed and most of them are continuing even today there by aptly suiting the title ” Nitya Kalyanam Paccha Toranam” to Tirumala- the abode of Lord Venkateswara.

ISSUED BY THE PUBLIC RELATIONS OFFICER, TTD, TIRUPATI