The auspicious festival of Vaikunta Ekadasi on Tuesday drew an immense wave of devotion across the country, with temples under the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) administration registering a remarkable cumulative footfall. A staggering 12.7 lakh pilgrims visited various Lord Venkateswara shrines managed by the TTD on this sacred day, highlighting the festival's deep significance for devotees of Lord Sri Maha Vishnu.
Divergent Trends at the Tirumala Main Temple
In a notable pattern, the primary Tirumala temple, the epicenter of the Venkateswara worship, recorded numbers that were surprisingly below its usual average. On Vaikunta Ekadasi day, 67,053 devotees, including VIPs, had darshan at the hill shrine. The financial offering through the Hundi amounted to Rs 2.25 crore. Both these figures were observed to be well under the daily averages seen even on regular days, indicating a possible distribution of the pilgrim crowd to other TTD centers.
Hectic Activity at Major TTD Temples Across India
While Tirumala saw a relatively modest gathering, other TTD-managed temples witnessed frenetic devotional activity. This shift underscores the widespread network and reach of the TTD in catering to devotees in their own regions during major festivals.
The footfall at key temples was impressive:
- The Lord Venkateswara temple in Bengaluru attracted 59,950 devotees.
- In Hyderabad, the TTD temples at Himayat Nagar and Jubilee Hills reported turnouts of 58,743 and 54,225 pilgrims respectively.
- The T Nagar temple in Chennai registered a pilgrim count of 53,932.
- The Rushikonda temple in Visakhapatnam saw 51,023 visitors.
- The Kodandarama Swamy temple at Vontimitta drew 51,219 pilgrims.
- The SV temple at Amaravati recorded a turnout of 45,698 devotees.
A Testament to Widespread Devotion
The collective turnout of nearly 13 lakh devotees across the TTD ecosystem powerfully illustrates the enduring spiritual importance of Vaikunta Ekadasi. The festival, which marks the opening of the 'Gate of Heaven', is considered one of the most propitious times to visit Vishnu temples. The data reveals that while the iconic Tirumala temple remains the ultimate destination, the TTD's efforts to establish and manage major temples in urban centers are successfully decentralizing pilgrimage and meeting the devotional needs of millions. This pattern ensures that the sacred experience is more accessible, reducing pressure on the main temple while fostering a nationwide culture of worship connected to the Tirumala legacy.
