Vaikunta Dwaram at Tirumala

Vaikunta Dwaram

Vaikunta Dwaram is located on the left side of the Main shrine and faces east. This door is opened only on the Day of Vaikunta Ekadasi and Dwadasi i.e. only on two days a year.

This Dwaram does not have any special gopuram of its own and is also devoid of any elaborate decorations etc. But the entry into the main shrine through this entry (and not the Bangaru Vakili) is considered one of the most revered and auspicious achievements for all devotees.

As legend put it entry through the door is said to bring some extraordinary blessings of the Lord Venkateswara which were normally meant for the Gods who live in Vaikuntam.

Vaikunta Ekadasi

At Tirumala, Vaikunta Ekadasi has always been a special occasion for the visiting devotees and it is a feast to the eyes and solace to the soul. In recent times, the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) management decided to observe the event as a ten-day festival by throwing open the ‘Vaikunta Dwaram’ to the visiting pilgrims for ten days.

This is followed by a procession of Sri Malayappa Swamy’s deity on the golden chariot and the conduct of ‘Chakra Snanam’ on Vaikunta Dwadasi.

Golden Chariot - Tirumala (3)
Golden Chariot procession on Tirumala Mada Streets

Since this event is a celestial spectacle, lakhs of devotees plan to visit Tirumala on this occasion, but only some of them get the opportunity to pass through the ‘Vaikunta Dwaram’ on this day. Devotees who could not make it to Tirumala for the auspicious day in the past were a disappointed lot.

Now, several thousands of pilgrims get the satisfaction of walking through the ‘Uttara Dwaram’ and praying to the Lord of Seven Hills for salvation, due to the decision of the authorities to keep the northern entrance open for ten days.

Vaikunta Ekadasi (Utsavam) Inside Temple

It is a devotional bliss to enter the ‘Vaikunta Dwaram’ and pass through the inner precincts around the sanctum sanctorum, which is believed to rid a person of all sins of the past and provide salvation. On this special occasion, the ‘Praakaaram’ is tastefully decorated with rare and exotic flowers of multiple colours, which look like heaven.

Devotees get the mesmerising experience of passing through the original ‘Vaikuntam’ while walking on this path.

May Lord Venkateswara grant liberation of the worldly shackles to all the devotees worshipping Him on this most auspicious occasion.

Silver Coins and Dollars in Tirumala Temple

Silver Coins and Dollars

Srivari Thulabharam

Generally, the devotees of lord Venkateswara use to perform various sevas like Vasanthotsavam, Dolotsavam, Sahasra Deepalankarana seva etc. In addition to this Niluvu dopidi (giving up their belongings-silver, gold or cash to the lord), Thulabharam can also be performed at Tirumala.

The objective of the Srivari Thulabharam is to donate some offerings as per the wish of the pilgrim which is equal to their weight.

The offerings like Rice, Jaggery, Sugar Candy, gold and Silver Coins can be offered to the Lord. But devotees need not bring these things along with them because TTD will provide these offerings to the devotees on payment basis inside the temple.

In addition to this 5 grams, and 10 grams of silver dollars of Lord Venkateswara and his divine consort Padmavati Devi are also sold by Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams to devotees at bullion market rates on the date. People also consider these dollars sacred.

Sripadarenu

Sripadarenu

A portion of the paste of the refined camphor mixed with civet oil called Sripadarenu is distributed to the hereditary persons doing service. The practice of pressing camphor on the chin of the Lord is related to a tradition.

A bhakta stated to be Anantalvar, a disciple of Ramanuja, undertook to excavate the tank, now known as Alvar tank, together with his wife. He observed a young person moving only small clods of earth, and being angry, he struck at his chin.

When later he went to the temple to worship, he found blood oozing from the Lord’s chin, felt remorse for his needless act, brought some drugs and applied them to the Lord’s chin. It is because of this that refined camphor is now said to be pressed to the Lord’s chin after his ablution on Friday.

Sri Venkateswara Swamy - 108 Divya Desams

Sripadarenu is well kneaded by hand by the Jiyangar and is divided according to hierarchy. A small quantity is also given to the pilgrims, called kainidi i.e., what is left in the hands as prasadam.