Sat Jan 11 03:07:22 UTC 2025: **Tirumala Temple Draws Tens of Thousands for Vaikunta Ekadasi Festivities**
TIRUMALA, INDIA (January 11, 2025) – Tens of thousands of devotees flocked to the Lord Venkateswara Temple in Tirumala on Friday to participate in the Vaikunta Dwara Darshan, a significant event during the Mukkoti Ekadasi festival. The temple was beautifully decorated, and the festivities included a procession of the Lord Malayappa idol on a golden chariot.
The Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) facilitated early darshan, half an hour ahead of schedule, adding to the joyous atmosphere. A special gesture was made to accommodate family members of devotees injured in a previous stampede, fulfilling an instruction from Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu. Devotees expressed gratitude for this act of compassion.
The celebrations attracted a host of VIPs, including Haryana Governor Bandaru Dattatreya, Union Minister K. Rammohan Naidu, and Telangana Deputy Chief Minister Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka, among others. The Vaikunta Dwara Darshan will continue until January 19.
First Piper 