TTD Board Likely to Restore Two-Day Vaikunta Dwaram Entry
Token counters were set up across Tirupati, allowing devotees to secure entry for the special darshan.
Tirupati: The Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) trust board is preparing to revert to the traditional two-day Vaikunta Dwara darshan during the Vaikunta Ekadasi festival, in alignment with the Vaikhanasa Agama scriptures. The move comes as part of a review ordered by Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu following the tragic stampede in Tirupati earlier this year.
During the previous YSRC government’s tenure, the TTD had extended the Vaikunta Dwara darshan to ten days to manage the massive pilgrim rush. Token counters were set up across Tirupati, allowing devotees to secure entry for the special darshan. Over time, the practice continued, even though Agama traditions specify that the auspicious period for moksha darshan lasts only on Ekadasi and Dwadasi days.
However, on January 8 this year, a stampede at token distribution centres in Tirupati led to the death of six devotees, prompting the Chief Minister to direct TTD officials to review the ten-day system. He questioned the rationale for continuing practices introduced by the previous government and instructed the TTD board to ensure strict adherence to tradition and safety.
In line with these directions, the TTD board, led by its chairman B. R. Naidu, is expected to take a final decision at its upcoming meeting on October 28 at the Annamayya Bhavan in Tirumala. The main agenda item will be to formally restrict the Vaikunta Dwaram opening to two days — Vaikunta Ekadasi and Dwadasi.
Temple priests and Agama scholars have affirmed that, according to the Vaikhanasa Agama, the period of spiritual significance extends only over these two days.
The trust board also plans to strengthen pilgrim safety by relocating token distribution from Tirupati to Tirumala. The move aims to centralise the process within the temple’s administrative zone, where TTD has full control over queue lines, crowd management, and emergency response systems.
Apart from this key issue, the TTD board will also review engineering works, procurement of raw materials for prasadam preparation, and the progress of previously approved projects during the upcoming meeting.
