HISTORIC   PA:DA YA:THRA   TO   TIRUMALA   23rd NOV 05

                   HH Sri Swamiji went to have Darsan of Lord Sri Venkatesa on Tirumala Hills.  About 10000 devotees joined HH Sri Swamiji. They all went by foot along with HH Sri Swamiji.  It was a great occasion everyone enjoyed the spiritual journey with HH Sri Swamiji.  Varuna Deva also participated drizzling flowery droplets on the ardent devotees.  After about 30 years, good rains drenched the seven hills. Akasaganga and  Papanasam dams were filled  and water flowed out with joy. 

                   While HH Sri Swamiji is walking up the steps along with the devotees, all contemplating on the divine form of Lord, chanting the names of the Lord, rain god washed the feet of the devotees and made them take wonderful natural bath making everyone divine and holy.  The waters flowed down the steps gently while devotees climbed up the hills.  "There was never an occasion  like this in the recent 30 years" exclaimed the TTD authorities !  There are about 3500 steps to climb and none of the devotees felt any pains.  They jumped, they ran, they sang the divine names and the divine sports of the Lord.  The joy knew no bounds and it appeared like souls getting elevated to Paramapadam.  Tirumala Special Officer Sriman Dharma Reddy also accompanied HH Sri Swamiji and the group. 

                     Alwars, the blessed saints, have sung 5000 years back about this Lord's divine shrine.  They said that there are a number of water falls on all the hills appearing like spilling milk fountains coming from Paramapadam.  After a long long time the nature  around looked  similar and the devotees who participated experiencing the passing clouds, cool breeze, blessed drizzles, walking along with Acharya, singing divine name,  felt extremely fortunate for the unique spiritual experience.

                     HH Sri Swamiji while going to Tamilnadu on Acharya Seva Yathra scheduled to visit Lord Srinivasa to express the gratitude for He has  taken up the task of  protecting His temple, its tradition and the history of His Acharya !.  Since 2 years, after the then TTD authorities themselves started to break remove  the wonderful 1000 pillared Mandapam   and  began to misrepresent  the history of the temple  (inspite of original  inscriptions and documents available)  the issue began and led to many changes in the temple shrine. The temple is being looked at as only a commercial  product  and officers are thinking that getting more and more income through Hundi, Sevas  etc., is the development and  the temple development is measured in monetary figures !  Our temples which used to be the inspiring centres of Spirituality and  exceptional human values were being ruined by some of the  temple authorities themselves who find no time to learn, obey and follow the tradition of the temple in which they are working.  Their concern is only money.  Devotees  offer  money  etc.,  to Lord, thinking that it  serves  the major temple  interests,  the tradition  and  the religion.  If it is a  non-religious place no body will offer money there ! .  People think that there is God in the temple, unlike many including those serving in the temple too, who think that it is only an icon or a stone !  Still there are a few who are serving sincerely for whom God is residing there !  Tirumala is a highly revered religious place, not an office or a resort or a picnic spot !  Unfortunately, the attention of public, on the hills is being misled  convertng it as a place to visit  rope ways,  parks and entertainments and slowly there comes  resorts too... for, it is being given to Tourism section.  The place of highest spiritual values is being converted to a place of pleasurable pursuits !  Is it development or ruining the religious values ?  Various people may come and go, but, is it right to change / manipulate  the highly revered tradition that is being practiced and  carried  all through since so many years ?  Why are they not following the religious sanctity in the temple that has rich heritage history and glory ?   However, after HH Sri Swamiji raised the voice against these mis-happenings things started  to change.  HH, thought instead of praying people, it is best  to pray God to take care of the temple and the tradition.  Does it mean that God don't know ?  No... it means the concern we have towards God for which God responds.  So HH  is praying Lord Srinivasa and things started to move in positive direction.   HH Swamiji's initiation  paved the way for cleansing the sins.  Lord might have felt happy !  He invited HH and his devotees with grand reception of wonderful weather, gently drenching them in the flowery rain of His  Compassion and  grace ! 

                        HH Sri Chinna Jeeyar Swamiji is praying Lord to protect the history and tradition of Tirumala temple and let it not be disturbed by anyone. Recently the TTD  board has unanimously resolved to reconstruct the 1000 pillared mandapam there itself.  It was earlier promised by the recent government, though, it took back later, due to fear of  few others.  However the recent resolution to protect the temple interest would have made Lord  Govinda happy !  HH Sri Chinna Jeeyar Swamiji  went to have Darsan of Lord to express his gratitude to Lord Srinivasa for having started to correct the situation. 
   
                        HH Sri Swamiji is on Acharya Seva Yathra since Feb 20th 05 to propagate the human values in practice and inculcate the spiritual attitude among masses to establish a peaceful society for the progress of our country. Since, the Tirumala issue started by demolishing sacred 1000 Pillar Mandapam of Tirumala Temple, HH Sri Swamiji did not visit Tirumala. Most of the red tape media tried to throw dust on the divine mission of HH Sri Swamiji. Unfortunately some selfish authorities and newly sprung up immature groups misled many of the government officials and also the leaders who, in confusion, supported the wrong side. However, HH Sri Swamiji thought that it is better to appeal to the Lord to save the tradition and sanctity of the temple, than to appeal to the innocent and ignorant people, for, they are easily prone to external influences. So Sri Swamiji started a programme in the name of Acharya Seva Yathra to inspire people and the interested ones with the human values, spiritual values and historic values of our divine culture and high moral standards.
Devotees in anguish, were pacified by Swamiji with a programme called "om namo venkatesaya" in which all devotees have to write the divine name of Lord atleast 1100 crores of times !! It is not a simple task ! But, with his blessings all the interested devotees and other like minded ones started writing. Already the written names crossed 900 crores in the last 10 months. This shows the commitment devotees have who followed HH Swamiji for, they know the noble mission of HH Sri Swamiji from all his activities and programmes.
                      Slowly, the wind of opposing, the noble mission taken up by Swamiji in protecting the temple interests was understood by many. Thus, those who opposed and pointed at HH Swamiji earlier with little knowledge, have realised the truths and themselves invited HH Sri Swamiji to Tirumala, as the new TTD board is taking positive steps in preservation of the sanctity of the temple. New TTD officials also attempted to understand the noble mission of HH sri swamiji and they too invited Sri Swamiji to visit Tirumala. Thus, the tense circumstances have eased in and Swamiji also accepted to visit Tirumala.
Sri Swamiji's visit was not announced anywhere but, only passed through the word of mouth by those who also did not visit Tirumala since then ! The message spread like wild fire. Within few days notice, devotees from many parts of India as well as from different parts of US representing their states, also came to participate in the yathra. HH Sri Swamiji decided to go on foot to Tirumala.
Suddenly the Nature started to show the response of the Lord. God might have thought to please the devotees and sanctify them with the divine experience ! There were good rains on all the Tirumala hills. The dams on the hills overflowed. The dried waterfalls suddenly sprinkled up. It appeared like milky fountains are covering all over the hills. In olden days the hills used to be like that with a number of water falls. After about 30 years such a climate is seen on the hills exclaimed the local officers. All this happened just from the 4 days before Swamiji's visit.
                        About 10,000 devotees gathered to have darsan of the Lord along with HH Sri Chinna Jeeyar Swamiji! By the time HH arrived at Alipiri the foothill of Tirumala, devotees have thronged in to receive HH and the 7 hills reverberated with "Jai Srimannarayana" and "Ye:du kondalava:da: Go:vinda Go:vinda". TTD E.O and few Board members have invited HH and the devotees and accompanied HH to walk up the hills. HH denied any special temple honours to him though officials tried for it. Similarly, he denied other honours too as this is not the right place.
                        On this day, the weather was extremely pleasant and cool. HH, breaking a coconut at the foot of the hills started the Yathra. There was flowery drizzling throughout the yathra. Dense clouds passed over sprucing up the devotion of the devotees. All the water falls sprung up and the rain waters washed away all the sins on the hills. Climbing about 3500 steps is not an ordinary thing but, none of the devotees felt any discomfort, for, they are totally immersed in divine joy, chanting divine names of Lord following Acharya HH Sri Swamiji. The gushing waters from the forests and rivulets, ran down the steps washing the feet of the devotees. No one felt tired. The circumstances and views of the Tirumala appeared exactly as the descriptions made by Alwars thousands of years ago.
                       All the devotees took natural bath wet with the divine grace of Lord and went to Darsan in a sanctified way. HH Sri Swamiji along with devotees took tickets and went in the ordinary queue to have darsan of Lord. HH stayed there until all the following devotees have had the darsan of Lord. TTD officials and staff too co-operated in making this programme a grand success. Surprisingly there were no rains thereafter.
While HH is passing through the Queue, Procession deity of Lord, Malayappa Swami coming in procession in Mada streets exactly entered the South Mada street and gave darsan to Swamiji exactly in the South East corner of the temple. It appeared like Lord inviting Sri Swamiji showing the concern he has in reconstruction of the broken down 1000 pillar mandapam in that corner. HH Sri Swamiji accepting the grace of Lord, proceeded in the queue.
Isn't this historic event a miracle ! Everything happened in a most planned way of Lord whether somebody recognise this or not. Devotees felt extremely happy and joy, preserving this in their hearts as a life time experience. Many can visit Tirumala but, can any one get such a divine experience along with Acharya ? !


 

Grand reception to HH Sri Swamiji at Alipiri, foot of Tirumala Hills.
HH Sri Swamiji breaking coconut at the entrance of the Path.
Thousands of devotees following HH Sri Swamiji
HH Blessing the devotees who came to participate in the Historic Pa:da Yathra.
Procession deity of Lord, Malayappa Swami coming in procession in Mada streets exactly entered the South Mada street and gave darsan to Swamiji exactly in the South East corner of the temple.