Fri Dec 05 09:10:00 UTC 2025: Here’s a summary of the text, followed by a news article rewrite:
Summary:
The Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) conducted an electronic draw to select 1.76 lakh pilgrims out of 2.4 million registrations for the first three days of the Vaikunta Dwara Darshan festival, starting December 30th. The digital registration process was highly successful, utilizing the TTD website, mobile platforms, and WhatsApp. Confirmed pilgrims received their tickets and reporting point information, including Google Maps links. Darshan is allocated to 57,000 devotees on Vaikunta Ekadasi, 64,000 on Dwadasi, and 55,000 on New Year’s Day. The last seven days of the festival will allow Vaikunta Dwara Darshan for all without specific tickets. The TTD will also release a limited number of Special Entry Darshan and SriVani tickets for the final seven days.
News Article:
Tirupati Temple Announces Vaikunta Ekadasi Pilgrimage Selection After Massive Digital Lottery
TIRUMALA, INDIA – December 2, 2025 – The Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) has successfully completed a large-scale electronic lottery to select pilgrims for the prestigious Vaikunta Dwara Darshan festival, beginning December 30th. The draw, held earlier today, allocated access to the first three days of the ten-day celebration.
An overwhelming 2.4 million devotees registered for the opportunity, demonstrating the festival’s immense popularity. Of those, 1.76 lakh pilgrims were selected through a transparent and technology-driven process. The TTD reported a remarkable response across its digital platforms, with 9.28 lakh registrations on the website, 13.29 lakh via mobile devices, and 1.47 lakh through WhatsApp.
“The digital outreach has been phenomenal,” said a TTD spokesperson. “We are committed to making the darshan accessible while managing the immense crowds responsibly.”
Selected pilgrims are already receiving confirmation messages and official tickets, complete with Google Maps links to guide them to their designated reporting points. 57,000 devotees will be granted darshan on Vaikunta Ekadasi, followed by 64,000 on Dwadasi, and 55,000 on January 1st, coinciding with New Year’s Day.
In a move to further broaden access, the TTD announced that Vaikunta Dwara Darshan will be open to all devotees during the final seven days of the festival, without the need for specific tickets. Additionally, 15,000 Special Entry Darshan (SED) tickets (₹300) and 1,000 SriVani tickets will be released daily for these seven days, with bookings opening on December 5th.
The TTD continues to emphasize its commitment to leveraging technology to ensure a smooth and fulfilling pilgrimage experience for all devotees.
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