
Huge Rush of Devotees at Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams
Currently, the wait time for darshan has reached a staggering 20 hours. On Saturday, a record 88,257 devotees had the opportunity to view Srivari, and 45,068 of them performed the traditional head tonsure as an offering. TTD officials reported that the income from the Srivari Hundi yesterday amounted to Rs. 3.68 crores.
As the summer holidays draw to a close and monsoon rains begin to recede, TTD officials anticipate that the surge of visitors will persist for at least another week. In response to the growing crowds, TTD is making the necessary arrangements to ensure the comfort and safety of devotees.
Additionally, in light of recent incidents involving tigers roaming near footpaths and roads, TTD, along with forest and police authorities, is taking measures to ensure the safety of all visitors.

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