Tirumala: Protests marred the Vaikunta Ekadasi festivities at Tirumala on the second consecutive day, with the devotees yet again staging a sitin, this time in front of TTD chairman Kanumuri Bapiraju;s camp office at Padmavati Nagar, on Saturday.
While one side of the holy Tirumala hills reverberated with the chants of the devotees, the other part of the hill echoed with slogans against the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams.
Around 200 devotees staged a sit-in protest in front of Bapiraju’s camp office, holding placards in their hands, resenting the poor treatment meted out by the temple administration to the general public.
A few devotees from Narsapuram constituency, represented by Congress MP Bapiraju, alleged that they were promised darshan by the TTD chief who turned them away at the last minute.
The devotees shouted slogans against the chairman and the temple administration for not only causing them extreme hardships but also denying them a darshan of the Lord.
Meanwhile, the Vaikunta Ekadasi began after the temple priests wrapped up rituals to the Lord at jet speed and the ‘Vaikunta Dwaram’ was opened amidst the chanting of the Vedic hymns. Darshan at the temple commenced with a darshan for the VIPs, which began as early as 2 am on Saturday and lasted till 7.10 am.
As many as 20 ministers, 60 MLAs, tens of MPs, Industrialists and celebrities from across the country had a darshan of the Lord.
After the VIP darshans, the temple administration allowed the general public inside. The entire Vaikuntam Q complex was full.
Thousands of devotees spilled on to the roads, waiting for their turn to get into the complex. Many pilgrims, who could not get accommodation, had to take shelter on the foot paths.
