EDITORIAL

Lord Sri Venkateswara is the omnipotent, omniscient God who manifested Himself at Tirumala where the Vedas transformed themselves into stones. The Lord is the refuge of the distressed and the lost, the cause of universal well-being.

Annual Brahmotsavam to the All-merciful Lord will be celebrated with great pomp and pageantry from October 7 to 15. In fact, not a single day goes without a festival or other on the sacred Hills. But Brahmotsavam is the crest jewel of all festivals. It is the most auspicious and magnificent festival instituted by Lord Brahma, the creator, himself for the welfare of mankind.

The mere darsan of the Deity, seated in splendidly decorated vahanams during Brahmotsavam removes one's sins in an instant. It is the belief that those who worship Lord Srinivasa on Rathotsavam, the climax of the ten-day festival, will be freed from the cycle of births and deaths. All the celestials, sages and saints descend on the Holy Hills and worship the Lord during this magnificent festival. It is therefore considered meritorious to visit Tirumala to offer worship on the occasion of Brahmotsavam.

Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams are making all arrangements for the benefit of devotees who come from far-off places. Steps are being taken for the comfortable darsan of Srivaru during the festival.

The entire Tirumala Hills will be agog with festoons, illuminations and colourrful decoration. Accommodation will be given on first-come-first-serve basis. The ghat roads will be kept open for traffic throughout the day. Vehicular movement will be regulated during the festival and additional fleet of buses will be pressed into service to avoid any inconvenience to the devotees. Strict security measures are being taken to awert any untoward incident. Free medical care will be provided to the visiting pilgrims. Religious books, calendars, audio and video cassettes will be on sale at our exclusive sales counters both at Tirupati and Tirumala. A team of dedicated Sri seva volunteers will be at your service to provide information on sevas, darsan timings, accommodation and other activities of TTD.

In this regard, we request the fullest co-operation from the devotees for the smooth conduct of the festival. Vehicles should be parked only at the places allotted for them. Temple surroundings should be kept clean. Smoking and drinking are strictly prohibited. Donot defecate in public places to prevent communicable diseases. Donot push or jostle and create panic while processions are going on. Devotees are also requested not to throw coins or other materials on the utsavamurtis as they can cause damage to the idols and ornaments. Moreover, it is a sacrilege whether you do it knowingly or unknowingly. Those who go to Tirumala on foot are advised to move in groups as it will be helpful to your companions.

All are welcome to Tirumala on the auspicious occasion of Srivari Brahmotsavam.