Antaralaya Darshan suspended on Jan 1 & 2 to cope with heavy rush

Chittoor: Following the instructions of Commissioner for Endowments, Kanipakam Sri Varasiddhi Vinayaka Swamy temple administration has decided to suspend Antaralaya Darshan and Arjitha Sevas to cope with the heavy rush on January 1 and 2.

The devotees including VIPs will be provided darshan from outside the Antharalayam (sanctum sanctorum – the innermost sanctuary of a Hindu shrine) on these two days so as to provide darshan to maximum number of devotees on the New Year Day January 1 and the following day (January 2) coinciding with the auspicious Vaikunta Ekadasi, said the famed Kanipakam temple executive officer A Venkatesh.

The temple coordination committee meeting comprising the temple officials and government departments including Revenue department led by Chittoor RDO Renuka was held on Monday. It was chaired by trust board chairman A Mohan Reddy at the shrine to discuss the arrangements for the New Year and Vaikunta Ekadasi for providing a hassle-free darshan to more number of devotees.

Explaining the measures to be taken up in tune with the expected heavy rush, Venkatesh said that Antharalaya Darsahn, Arjitha Sevas i.e. sevas on payment basis for darshan will remain suspended for two days for the sake of common devotees, as per the instruction of Endowment department higher ups.

On the arrangements, the EO said four queue lines one for free Darshan, the second for Rs 150 ticketholders, third for Rs 100 ticketholders and the fourth one for VIPs and senior citizens will be set up and added that the APSRTC has agreed to operate special bus services from various places including Chittoor, Tirupati, Vellore, Srikalahasti and other important places to Kanipakam temple.

Most importantly, he said in view of Covid alert coming from the Centre, wearing a face mask would be mandatory for the devotees at Kanipakam temple to enter the shrine for darshan, as per the direction of the government. He said that District Collector M Harinarayanan and Puthalapattu (local) MLA MS Babu have also given suggestions to the temple administration on the management of additional rush during the two days.