Devotees who cannot visit Lord Tirupati Balaji down south, can seek his blessings here by attending a special Abhishekham (bathing ceremony), which is being conducted for the first time outside Tirupati.
Known as Vasanthotsavam (spring festival), it is a ceremony in which the holy water is poured over lord followed by milk, curd, honey, turmeric, and sandal paste through a sieve.
The function will be held on October 16 from 6 pm onwards at the Shanmukhananda Sri Chandrasekharendra Saraswati auditorium, King’s Circle. On the same morning, devotees can come for darshan.
The lord and his consorts are here as a part of the efforts of the South Indian Education Society (SIES), which is celebrating 80 years of its existence and Sri Shanmukha Fine Arts and Sangeetha Sabha. “We are completing 80 years and that is why we wanted this divine marriage to be conducted here. People who cannot go and witness the marriage of the lord there, can do it here,” said V Shankar, president of SIES. The marriage, however, will be restricted to special invitees of the organisers.
The Tirupati Temple has miniature idols of the deity that travels across the country. Those will be coming in the city with a team of 60 people from the temple.
These include vedic scholars and priests who will be conducting the special pujas and the vedic ceremonies. “They will reach Nerul either tonight or tomorrow morning, to hold similar functions before coming here,” said KA Viswanathan, who is associated with the celebrations.
