Tirumala’s Navaratri Brahmotsavams close with Chakrasnanam at Swami Pushkarini on Vijayadashami

The Srivari Navaratri Brahmotsavams at Tirumala closed on Tuesday, 20 October, Vijayadashami, with Chakrasnanam, the ceremonial bath of the Sudarshana Chakra in Swami Pushkarini, the tank beside the Venkateswara temple. The Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) had scheduled the ritual for 6 am.

On the evening of 19 October, TTD Additional Executive Officer Ch. Venkaiah Chowdary walked around the Pushkarini with Joint EO Prabhala Gopinath, Chief Vigilance and Security Officer K.V. Muralikrishna and district SP L. Subbarayudu to check the preparations, the temple body said in a statement.

How the holy dip was managed

According to TTD, about 9,450 devotees can bathe in the tank at the same time. Movement was controlled through 17 gates, seven for entering and ten for leaving, with barricades along the approaches. TTD deployed vigilance staff, police, Srivari Sevaks and National Disaster Response Force teams, and kept swimmers and a boat ready in the water. Medical teams and ambulances from TTD’s Ashwini Hospital were on hand, and officials said the tank water had been tested and found free of contamination.

Annaprasadam was arranged for devotees and staff on duty, and LED screens in the temple surroundings relayed the ritual. TTD has asked pilgrims not to crowd the tank in the early hours, noting that by tradition the waters remain sacred for the whole day, and to use only the marked routes and gates.

Golden chariot and the final vahana

The eighth day, Monday, began with the Swarna Rathotsavam at 7 am. The processional deity, Malayappa Swamy, with Sridevi and Bhudevi, was drawn through the four mada streets on the golden chariot, and many of those pulling the ropes were women, TTD said. In the evening Malayappa Swamy appeared in the Kalki form on the Aswa Vahanam, the horse mount, which closed the series of vahana sevas. TTD chairman B.R. Naidu and executive officer M. Ravichandra were among those present, along with the senior and junior Jeeyar Swamis of Tirumala.

The festival’s high point came on Friday, 16 October, when rain fell from morning to night and still failed to thin the crowd for the Garuda Seva. The galleries along the mada streets, which hold about 1.8 lakh people, were full from the morning, and more than a lakh others watched the procession on giant screens outside. Many pilgrims had reached the hill on Thursday night to secure places, sheltering under umbrellas and plastic sheets. The procession passed off without incident.

TTD’s daily figures show between about 72,000 and 84,000 pilgrims had darshan each day from 15 to 18 October.

Why there were two Brahmotsavams this year

Tirumala holds a second, Navaratri edition of the Brahmotsavams only in years with an extra lunar month, which comes round roughly once every three years. This year the annual Salakatla Brahmotsavams were held in September. The Navaratri edition omits the flag-hoisting and flag-lowering ceremonies and the procession of the big wooden chariot, which belong to the annual festival.

Also read: Planning a January trip to Tirumala? Here is TTD’s 2027 seva, darshan and room quota schedule · Srisailam Dasara Mahotsavams close on Vijayadashami with Nijarupa darshan, Shami Puja and Teppotsavam