TTD Performs Over 26,000 Free Weddings at Its Kalyana Vedika on Tirumala

Tirupati: The free wedding service offered by the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) at its Kalyana Vedika in Tirumala has reached the 26,214 mark since its launch on April 25, 2016. Located along the Papavinasanam Road in Tirumala, the Kalyana Vedika has been drawing a steady stream of Hindu couples seeking wedlock with divine blessings and without financial burden.

According to TTD officials, the service remains in consistent demand, with several couples registering each day. “Our aim is to offer a sacred, dignified setting for couples to begin their lives together in the presence of Lord Venkateswara. The fact that over 26,000 weddings have taken place here shows the trust and faith devotees place in the system,” a TTD official observed.

TTD arranges the essential requirements for the wedding ceremony, including a priest, traditional wedding musical instruments, turmeric, vermilion and bangles. The couple must themselves bring the remaining materials, like the mangalasutra, on their own. The service is strictly limited to Hindu couples entering into their first marriage. The minimum legal age for the bride is 18 years and groom 21 years.

Second and love marriages are not conducted under this programme.

Further, it is mandatory for the parents of both the bride and groom to be present at the time of the ceremony. If parents are unable to attend, valid documents explaining their absence must be submitted. After the wedding, six members — including the couple and their parents — are allowed free darshan of Lord Venkateswara through the Rs 300 special entry queue. Each of them receives one laddu free of cost from the laddu counters.

Couples must register on the official website, entering details of the bride, groom, and their parents, along with Aadhaar card and age proof. They must specify the wedding date and time. An acknowledgement letter is issued upon submission. This is to be presented at the Kalyana Vedika office at least six hours before the ceremony for final verification.

To facilitate legal recognition of the marriages performed at the venue, the state government has set up a Hindu Marriage Sub-Registrar’s Office within the Vedika premises. Couples must submit proof of age and residence, and the wedding photograph to get the wedding certificate.