WEDDINGS AT TIRUMALA NEVER FAILS

Tirumala, 27 September 2017: The common devotee focus of TTD (Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams) took another leap with the focus on facilitation of weddings at the hill shrine- complete with kalyana mantyapams, purohits, wedding arrangements and even darshan for newly wedded couple, their parents and select relations etc.

Why people run to Tirumala for weddings.’People are confident that weddings with blessings of Lord Venkateswara never fails’ says Agama adviser to TTD Sri Venugopala Dikshitulu.

Particularly the love lorn youth- more from IT spectrum feel comfortable in Tirumala weddings.’ If we have documents-Aadhar card, age certificate and witnesses, there is no waiting time if we have booked online’ says Sailaja Mudigonda, a software from Hyderabad who got wedded in Tirumala early this week.More so she was happy that her aged parents did not have to struggle to make arrangements and everything was organised in a jiffy at the hill shrine.

Tirumala has been haven for lovers and youth who wish to enter into wedding lock. Even celebrities like film stars, children of tycoons and popular politicians come to Tirumala for a simple and quick wedding event, if they want to avoid all glitter and fanfare. During summers and marriage season hundreds of weddings are performed all over the hill shrine where even cottages turn into wedding mantapams. Caterers, shamiana providers and other service vendors are all on call on a 24×7 basis.

Commenting on the wedding sprees in Tirumala the TTD EO Sri Anil Kumar Singhal says that weddings in Tirumala were unique in that there is no record of break of weddings conducted at Tirumala.’Weddings in Tirumala have heavenly blessing and never fail ‘ he says.

Just as there were 400 odd festivals in Tirumala, the abode of Lord Venkateswara is also hub of weddings on a daily basis. Even for the Lord Venkeswara daily kalyanotsavam is performed inside the Srivari Temple .A Kalayana vedika has come up on the road to Papavinasam.On a regular basis as many 20 weddings are performed every day at Tirumala .’If wedding is held at Tirumala,you dont have to bother about muhurtams as every moment on the hill shrine is holy and good enough ‘ says Purushottam Shastri of the TTD Purohit sangham at Tirumala.

To perpetuate the wedding theme, TTD also performed Kalyanotsavam every day in Srivari Temple. TTD also conducted Srinivasa Kalyanams all over country and also abroad with the same goal to ensure universal family bliss. ‘Srinivasa Kalyanams are held all over AP, Panatella and world ‘says Dr T Ravi, in his book on PR in TTD, a first of its kind depicting on services and rituals at Tirumala.

The sangham which has over 120 archakas,mangala vadyam teams and even ear boring workers who work on a 24×7 basis.In 2016 TTD launched a ‘free kalyanam(Uchita Kalyanam) scheme and cancelled the earlier charges of Rs.880 for services of Purohit,electricity, mangala vadyam and video charges The wedding couple have to report just an hour before their allotted hours and make payments and the rest is taken care by the TTD. As many as 15 holy events- Weddings, Anna prasana, Tonsuring, Namakararam, Navagraha Homam,Ear boring,Annaprasasanam etc could be organised at tirumala.

Commenting on the wedding sprees in Tirumala the TTD EO Sri Anil Kumar Singhal says that weddings in Tirumala were unique in that there is no record of break of weddings conducted at Tirumala. ‘Weddings in Tirumala have heavenly blessing and never breaks ‘ he says.

There were many 33 Mutts and several private choultries on Tirumala which also as hubs of weddings and provide a complete ‘wedding ‘catalog with even menu.TTD has eight mini kalyana mantapams besides the mega Kalyana vedika. Almost every big cottage is utilised for wedding and other events. ‘Tirumala is known as a hub for weddings from time immemorial and TTD has only furthered the divine and holy task with more facilitation’ says TTD JEO Sri K S Srinivasa Raju.

In 2016 the former EO Dr D Sambashiv Rao launched the ‘Uchita Kalyanam’ scheme cancelling all charges and even offering free darshan , laddu prasadam and other benefits for the newly wedded couple and immediate family friends etc. TTD has launched even an online registration for those who wish to participate in the community weddings. The portal www.ttdseva.online.com provided all information for weddings, ear boring and other traditional events performed by the Hindu families.

Perhaps to perpetuate the weddings of poor and weaker sections that TTD had launched unique free Kalyanotsavams all over AP in 2008 and nearly 42,000 weddings were performed at TTD cost of Rs,40 crore.

One more unique ritual performed with gaiety in Tirumala is the Prarthana Vivaham. Couple facing issues- childlessness,health, and financial crisis- after wedding normally opt for such ritualistic weddings. They wife will wear a new mangala sutra and drop the old one in Srivari Hundi to begin a new life and a new chapter in her life.

ISSUED BY THE PUBLIC RELATIONS OFFICER, TTDs TIRUPATI