TTD set to restore 2-day Vaikunta Dwara darshan tradition

Tirupati: The Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) is set to take a key call on reverting to the original two-day Vaikunta Dwara darshan system, in line with the Vaikhanasa Agama traditions. The decision, which would replace the 10-day practice introduced during the YSRCP regime, will be the main agenda at the trust board meeting scheduled for October 28 at Annamayya Bhavan in Tirumala. The meeting under the chairmanship of BR Naidu, will also take up several other administrative issues.

If approved, the change will take effect from this year itself — with Vaikunta Ekadasi falling on December 30 and Dwadasi on December 31. The TTD has already begun preparatory discussions to ensure a smooth transition to the traditional format.

The move comes in the backdrop of the tragic stampede that occurred in Tirupati on January 8, when six devotees lost their lives during the distribution of Vaikunta Ekadasi tokens. The incident raised serious concerns about crowd management in the temple town. Following the mishap, Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu directed the TTD to revisit the existing 10-day system and realign practices with Agama prescriptions while tightening safety measures.

Temple scholars have maintained that the Vaikhanasa Agama allows entry through the Vaikunta Dwaram — considered a symbolic gateway to moksha — only on Vaikunta Ekadasi and the following Dwadasi day. They clarified that extending the darshan beyond these two days holds no ritual or spiritual basis.

The TTD board reportedly also reviewed temple traditions at other shrines, including Srirangam, where the 10-day festival is observed under the Dravida Agama — a practice not applicable to Tirumala. In fact, the trust board appointed by then YSRCP government in 2020 cited Srirangam practice while introducing the same in Tirumala.

Though the intention to go for the 10-day Vaikunta Dwara darshan was part of a crowd management experiment, it eventually created logistical challenges, with extended queues, coordination issues, and mounting safety risks.

As part of the proposed reforms, the TTD is expected to shift the token distribution for special darshan from Tirupati to Tirumala itself. Officials believe that the hilltop administrative setup, coupled with stronger security infrastructure, will ensure tighter crowd control and smoother operations.

Besides the Vaikunta Dwaram issue, the board meeting will also review progress on various engineering works, procurement of materials for prasadam preparation, and earlier resolutions.