116-year-old devotee and TTD Chairman BR Naidu

Tirupati: A day after a 116-year-old woman walked to the Tirumala Lord Venkateswara temple via the Alipiri footpath, the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams identified the elderly devotee as Navaneethamma from Tamil Nadu and offered a VIP break darshan for her and her family on Monday.

Her journey moved Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu and TTD chairman B.R. Naidu, who took the initiative to trace the devotee and facilitate the special darshan.

After videos of her journey went viral on social media, many praised her devotion. Initially, there was confusion over her identity, with reports claiming that she was Lakshmavva from Karnataka.

Responding to the viral video, TTD chairman posted on X a request to the people to share details of the devotee with his office. Following this, TTD vigilance officials gathered information and confirmed that the devotee was Navaneethamma from Tamil Nadu, who stayed with her relatives at Jeevakona in Tirupati.

Later, B.R. Naidu announced that Navaneethamma and her family members would be provided VIP break darshan on Monday morning. He said her unwavering devotion towards Lord Venkateswara at the age of 116 was an inspiration to everyone and prayed for her good health.

The Chief Minister also praised the devotee’s determination. He said, “Age is just a number when it comes to pure devotion. Absolutely awestruck by this 116-year-old grandmother trekking all the way up to Tirumala on foot to have the divine darshan of Lord Venkateswara. Wonderful to see her family supporting her lifelong faith. Truly inspiring", the Chief Minister stated on his social media page.

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