Om Namo Venkatesaya!
Where there is a demand; there starts politics!
Tirumala, being a famous temple in the world with 80,000 pilgrims (approx.) visiting per day needs efficient management and skillful brains to facilitate those crowds quickly. It's not an easy task too because, via Vendi Vakili (Silver Entrance), the maximum capacity per hour is 5,000 pilgrims. If we took 16 hours only we can make each 80,000 pilgrims enter the temple but the temple opens only 20 hours and also many rituals have to be done.
Vendi Vakili, Tirumala
The pilgrims have to wait more than 15 hours in waiting compartments (so-called "Vaikuntam queue complex"). Also, the Devasthanam allows the pilgrims to pre-book their darshan slots which get booked so soon (within a quarter-hour even). The people who missed to book and also the pilgrims who aren't fast enough to book have to wait in line for 15 hours. So, this situation leads to Bribes!
The TTD officials started using their influence to bypass the line and make their clients (who gave them money) have a quicker darshan and also without facing any rush/crowd. My dad will always say, Tirumala is the only place where white shirt men (TTD officials) will influence the khaki (policemen). Then the TTD itself started selling VIP tickets for money. Selling tickets for money is fine, that too VIP is welcomed because those who aren't a VIP (MLA/MP/Ministers/Celebrities/IAS/IPS/Civil Servants/Journalists/Judges, etc) too can have darshan but the ticket for VIP Break Dharshan costs Rs.10,500 per ticket (10,000 we have to donate for the temple and 500 is the actual cost for the darshan). Why can't they make Rs.10,500 on the whole as a fare for darshan? Here lies the suspicion.
Also, the former Executive officer of TTD, Mr. Anil Kumar Singhal gives first preference to privileged darshan and made to wait for Sarva darshan and Divya darshan for more than expected time making pilgrims frustrated, which developed hatred among pilgrims on Tirumala. A typical example happened on Vaikunta Ekadashi (13th Jan 2022) in which pilgrims as usual booked for Slotted Sarva Dharshan (SSD) and Special Entry Dharshan (SED) and went for Tirumala on the date (13.01.2022). But the management sold unlimited VIP darshans (costs 10,500 per ticket) even the slots got filled they again opened the VIP booking slots and made wait both the tickets (SSD & SED) for around 7 hours that too during the covid period (at covid times, darshan takes just 2 hours maximum) without any food, water, milk. Pilgrims with infants made pity on that crowd which made the pilgrims just avoid Tirumala hereafter. Pilgrims started protesting near to Maha Dwaram for the worst management of TTD Officials.
Maha Dwaram (Main Entrance) at Tirumala Srivari Temple
That's an example of the worst management of TTD in Tirumala. They getting donations for literally everything (Annaprasadams, Seva, etc,...) adding on to that they selling privileged darshan, getting money from hundi donations, and much more. Despite these earnings, their laddus are over-priced, finding ways to increase their income sources. Why they are desperate for money is surprising!
The video explains how pilgrims are tortured during Mukkoti Ekadashi, Tirumala
The VIP darshan can't afforded by everyone. Those mentioned here (Ministers, Chief Ministers, Prime Minister, MLA, MP, Judges, Civil Servants, Cinema Celebrities) only can enjoy the L1 darshan. L2 line accommodates Journalists, TTD Officials and their families. Both L1 and L2 pilgrims can see SwamyVaru at Kulasekarapadi of 5 minutes. They can also enjoy Harathi, Theertham, Sataari. That's why L1 and L2 line tickets has much demands. We can also buy the tickets for money. L1 darshan tickets costs 10,00,000 for 5 members, 3 times per year. For L3, pilgrims can get recommendation letter from above mentioned persons but they won't enjoy Harathi. Also the L3 line is crowded too! We can also buy L3 darshan by paying 10,500 per ticket. These tickets yield much money for the Devasthanam and hence they least care about the common people in Sarva Darshan.
There are more shocking incidents revealed by Dr. Ramana Dheekshithalu, former senior priest, Tirumala. He accuses TTD of three reasons:- the TTD Officials are in search of treasures present inside the Ananda Nilayam (Srivari Temple), especially in Potu (Kitchen); they are not allowing the priest to perform rituals according to Vaikanasa Agama, urging the priest to complete the rituals soon as they can allow more privileged Break Dharshans; Missing of old valuable jewelry of Sri Vari presented by kings and emperors. These accusations get strong when the TTD Officials announced no allowance of pilgrims into the Tirumala on the auspicious day of Maha Samrokshanam, which gonna happen once in 12 years. Also, the lower-level officers and workers are compelled to take off, and also the CCTVs are turned off.
Dr. Ramana Dheetshithalu accuses TTD Officials
Around 09 May 2022, Dharma Reddy took charge as TTD Executive Officer (EO) which is the lead posting in TTD Board Member.
TTD Executive Officer Dharma Reddy
He is a fabulous officer who concentrates on common pilgrims unlike what previous EOs did (giving preferences to privileged darshans like VIP Break Dharshans, Special Entry Dharshans, Ministers, and Celebrities). As Tirumala gets crowded after the second half of May and continues till July 20 for the first time after the covid pandemic, there is a huge rush which is a great task for TTD to manage. Tirumala isn't seen this much of a rush for months, but the Dharma Reddy and their team handled it much more efficiently by reducing the number of privileged and slotted darshans and giving prime priority to the common pilgrims (Sarva darshan). Also, he did many initiatives for the development of pilgrims' visits to Tirumala and tried to solve their issues of them. He also initiated the TTD EO Helpline number in which anyone can call EO and give their suggestions directly which is the first time happening in Tirumala. Also, he canceled recommendation letters and VIP tickets issued on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday to speed up the darshan for common people. He stopped Slotted Sarva Dharshan (SSD) which he mentioned that he will issue once the rush gets reduced. these are the initiatives he took for the welfare of common pilgrims that no EOs took in previous years. Also, he has announced that no other darshan going to happen on Brahmotsavam other than Sarva Dharshan is a massive initiative. It's a pride that we got an EO who considers common pilgrims coming to Tirumala without any booking via Sarva Dharshan to have Sri Vari Dharshan.
We, as common people just need a quick darshan and want to see SwamyVaru. That's it!
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