Tirumala Sees Heavy Pilgrim Turnout Ahead of Vaikunta Dwara Darshan Period
TTD indicated that the heavy pilgrim inflow is likely to continue until January 10, coinciding with the Vaikunta Dwara Darshan period.
Update: 2025-12-25 17:45 GMT
Tirumala: Tirumala is experiencing heavy pilgrim movement for the past two days as devotees are arriving in large numbers during the Christmas holidays and ahead of the Vaikuntha Dwara Darshan period.
The increased inflow has led to congestion at entry points, longer waiting hours for darshan and pressure on accommodation and other amenities at the hill shrine.
The impact of the surge was visible at the Alipiri check point. Pilgrims waited for one to two hours to complete vehicle and baggage checks and pass through the toll gate.
Movement remained slow during peak hours, causing delays for those heading to Tirumala.
Demand for Sarva darshan tokens also rose sharply. Long queues were seen from early morning at Srinivasam, Vishnu Nivasam and the Bhudevi complex. With only limited tokens issued, many devotees could not secure them and returned disappointed.
Officials said more than 60,000 pilgrims reached Tirumala on Thursday, seeking Sarva darshanam, adding to the crowd pressure.
Accommodation emerged as a major concern at Tirumala. Devotees faced difficulty in securing rooms irrespective of having darshan tokens. Several common areas, including the Mada streets, Akhilandam, laddu counters, Annadanam complex, accommodation blocks and the RTC bus stand area, remained crowded throughout the day.
The Vaikuntam queue complexes were operating at full capacity. All compartments at Vaikuntam queue complex-II and the sheds at Narayangiri were filled, with the free darshan queue extending up to the Outer Ring Road. The waiting time for Sarvadarshanam has stretched to a full day and night.
According to figures released by the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams, a total of 73,524 pilgrims had darshan at the Sri Venkateswara Temple on Wednesday. Tonsures were performed by 29,989 pilgrims, while hundi collections amounted to `4.88 crore. By Thursday evening, the waiting time for Sarvadarshanam without SSD tokens stood at about 24 hours.
TTD indicated that the heavy pilgrim inflow is likely to continue until January 10, coinciding with the Vaikunta Dwara Darshan period. Devotees have been advised to plan their visits keeping in mind the extended waiting hours and limited accommodation availability.