Sri Venkateswara Saranagathi Deeksha

Feb 6, 2007 - Tirumala Yatra Report:
Tirumala Pada Yathra by 7 Jeeyar Swamijis went on in a glorious way with about 50,000 deeksha devotees participating in the grand event. In the morning all the devotees assembled at the ground. Thadiyaradhana was arranged for all of them. All the 7 Jeeyar Swamijis and also Tirupathi Pedda Jeeyar Swamiji and other Jeeyar Swamiji's too joined the occasion. It was a great sight filled with divine fragrance. All the deeksha devotees clad in yellow clothes, filled up the ground and they were seen moving here and there in the whole town of Tirupathi. Wonderful Prasadam facilities were provided and arranged for distribution by the VT volunteers. A team of Vikasatarangini volunteers who came from Chennai worked day and night, prepared prasadams and distributed to all the devotees, under the guidance of Smt. I.V.Anandakumari. About 35,000 devotees participated in Thadiyaradhana at Tirupathi. Prasadam was also prepared for distributing it to the devotees during the Pada Yathra.

All the Prasadams were sponsored by Sriman Kishore Putta of Washington DC. HH Sri Swamiji offered special Mangalasasanams to him for his great contribution in service of the devotees of the Lord Sri Venkateswara.

HH Sri Swamiji along with other Jeeyar Swamiji's started the Yathra at about 12.10pm The heavy flood of Sri Venkatesa Saranagathi Deeksha devotees followed the foot steps of HH Sri Swamiji in a most disciplined way. Devotees danced and jumped singing the names of Lord Srinivasa during Pada yathra. Bhajans and Kolatams were also performed during the pada Yathra.

HH Sri Swamiji explaining the importance of each and every place and the sanctity of the hills and the history of the hills, moved forward inspiring the devotees. The joy of devotees knew no bounds.

The flood reached Tirumala by 6.pm. By that time many devotees who could not participate in padayathra have already assembled in the Tirumala Hills. HH Sri Swamiji crossing Padi Bhashyakara sannidhi explaining the importance made devotees to chant "bhajayathi ra:jam ". After reaching Tirumala paying salutations to the Sri rama Krathu Pillar and Swadhya Jnana Yajna Pillar in the entrance of the Tirumala, reached Bheti Anjaneya Sannidhi. Thadiyaradhana was provided to all the devotees. on the top of the hills. About 50,000 devotees participated in the Thadiyaradhana. All the Thadiyaradhana was sponsored by Sriman Kishore Putta, from Washington DC, who also actively walked through the Yathra along with HH Sri Swamiji.

By that time 7.00 pm Perumal came on Garuda Vahana Seva for the first time ( a Seva revived according to the ancient tradition. Garuda Seva is being done only during Bramhothsavam in the recent years ), to bless all the devotees who are ardently following the Saranagathi Deeksha. All the Jeeyar Swamijis along with devotees chanted Sri vishnu sahasranama sthothram and marched through the 4 mada streets. After taking the blessings of the Srinivasa on Garuda Vahana all the Devotees were seated in the East Mada Street. HH Sri Swamiji and TTD Chairman Sriman Karunakar Reddy addressed the Deeksha devotees. HH Sri Swamiji said that Lord is same and equally powerful whether He is in the sanctum sanctorum or in the Uthsava deity or in the deity form at our home. It is wrong to think that Doing Darsan in the sanctum sanctorum only is Darsanam. Whether He is in the Mu:la Vigraha or in any of the Uthsava Be:rams He is same. Such a great Lord came down all the way to Earth to take such a form so that He can bless all of us, just out of compassion. He'll also come in the moving form but, it is very difficult for people to have faith in Him. He blessed everyone that may Lord bless us to recognise Him in whatever form and have good faith and have strength to serve Him in every way. When He comes down to earth He too follows the rules of this Earth. So, its only our concern and love that matters to Him for Him to specially bless us, though He downpours His grace on all beings irrespective of our concern towards Him, because of which we are in this human or other form enjoying this wonderful world !

Thirtham from Swami Pushkarini was sprinkled by HH along with other Jeeyar Swamijis, as a mark of the end of the Saranagathi Deeksha. Every body including the TTD authorities were awestruck at the disciplined way of conducting the programme by such a heavy contingent of devotees under the guidance of HH Sri Chinna Jeeyar Swamiji.

TTD provided accommodation facilities to the devotees and all the authorities, security and the staff co-operated well in faciltating the devotees in service of Lord Srinivasa.