Festivals in Tirumala

There is a multiplicity of festivals celebrated in Tirumala with huge congregation of people and a divine aura of palpable bhakthi in the air. Numerous special festivals like Brahmotsavam, Rathasapthami, Plavotsava and the usual festivals like Sri Krishna Jayanthi, Sri Ramanavami etc are celebrated with pomp and grandeur. This temple town bears a festive appearance everyday justifying a popular phrase 'Nithya Kalyanam Pachchthoranam'.

The Brahmotsavam

The Brahmotsavam festival in Tirumala is a ten-day festival of splendour, pomp and pageantry attracting huge crowds. It is believed that this festival got its name as Brahma Himself conducted it to the Lord of Tirumala. In Tirumala the Brahmotsavam is in the month of Purattasi (Sept-Oct) and is programmed to conclude on the sravana, which is the birth star of Lord Venkateswara. Suddhi is done very elaborately during a special function known as 'Koyil Alwar Tirumanjanam'. It is performed on the Tuesday preceding the Brahmotsavam. The idea is that the temple and the entire town should be cleaned and beautified so as to equal vaikuntha, the abode of the Lord.

Acharyavaranam

having decided to perform Brahmotsavam, one has to nominate or choose a suitable acharya who would be the in-charge of performing the festival as per the rules prescribed. It takes place when 'ankurarpana' takes place. 
The yajamana (the sponsor), in Tirumala, i.e the EO of TTD does the sankalpa and nominates acharya along with assistants. Then the acceptance by seeking His blessings for the successful completion of the festival is done. Very few people witness this.

Mrt sangrahana

This is the first ritual of the celebration of Brahmotsavam. Mrt means earth and sangrahana means collecting or gathering. This is followed by 'ankurarpana'.

Ankurarpanam

Sowing 'navadhanya' seeds for germination in specially decorated new pots called 'Paalikas' constitutes Ankurarpanam. This is supposed to form a part of the propitiatory offerings to the Nitya suris or celestials in the temple. A 'Poornakumbham' is installed in the yaagasaala.

Dhvajarohanam

The main action that heralds the commencement of the Brahmotsavam is dhwajarohanam i.e., hoisting of the Garuda flag. 
The procession of the utsava vigraha is an important ritual in the Brahmotsavam. The deity is carried on a variety of vahanas (Carriages) on all days of the Brahmotsavam. The vahana karma is as follows.

Garuda Vahana

Regarded to be an important ritual, this is observed on the 5th day of Brahmotsavam. On that day, the utsava vigraha is decorated with makara kanthi and Lakshmi hara worn by the moolavar. This is the only day in the year when these two ornaments are brought outside moolasthana. The makarakanthi is so long that it flows from around the neck of the utsava vigraha on to the neck of his vehicle garuda as well. On all the days the vahanam is taken in procession around the usual paraphernalia. However, during this procession chatra, chamara, mangalavadyas, recital of the holy books etc., takes place. This garuda seva was witnessed by 2½ lakhs of pilgrims this year.

Rathotsavam

This is a part of the Brahmotsavam when the processional deity and his consorts are taken in a car (Ther) in a procession round the four streets surrounding the temple. It usually takes place on the eighth day of the festival and attracts the largest crowds during the Brahmotsavam festival days. It is a holy procession wherein, on top of the ratha, there will be a Garuda banner and a chatra. The rope that is used for pulling the ratha is said to symbolize Vasuki. The 2 wheels in front and the 2 wheels in the back of the Ratha are believed to represent Surya and Chandra respectively. There is a strong belief that whoever has a darshan of the Lord when he is seated on the Ratha or helps pulling the chariot round the streets is assured moksha. The ninth day that is the concluding day of the Brahmotsavam, three rituals are observed viz., churnabhisheka, charkasnana and the dhvaja - avarohana. Churna i.e. turmeric powder is prepared by the acharya first and then by the ritviks. Brahma is invoked in the turmeric and Rudra in the pestle. The vessel in which the powder in collected is said to represent Vishnu. The three murthis and their roles as creator, destroyer and preserver are thus represented in the preparation of the churna. It is filled in 4 kalasas. It is sprinkled on the deity first, later on sudarshana, Visvaksena and Garuda. Then the kalasas alongwith the Lord and Sudarshana go around the four main streets. Enroute the churna is distributed to all the bhaktas.

The processional deity is taken on a tiruchchi vahanam to the swami Pushkarini and the chakram of the Lord (also called chakra of alwar) then gets a bath in the swami Pushkarini. At the same time, the devotees of the Lord also have a dip into the swami Pushkarini. This point of time is considered to be very holy and merit giving. Then observing certain rituals, the flag, which was hoisted while inaugurating the festival, is brought down.

Once in 3 years or so due to certain peculiar constellation setup, an additional Brahmotsavam is celebrated.

Other festivals

Adhyayanotsavam

This festival commences ten days prior to the mukkoti Ekadasi and continues for a period of about 20 days. During this festival the utsavamurthis are taken out in procession to the chanting of the Nalagira prabandham or the hymns of the sri vaishnava alwars, composed for the benefit of the people not well versed in Sanskrit. The festival is divided into 2 parts. The earlier 10 days known as 'Pahalpattu' and the later 10 days as 'Irapattu' which commences with Vaikuntha ekadasi or mukkoti ekadasi.

Pavitrotsavam

This is yet another important festival in Tirumala. Along with the main deity, various parts of the temple and also other deities are adorned with the pavitras. Homa is performed and vedic mantras are recited. Puranas are read out. In a nutshell, there is an atmosphere, which is surcharged with religious fervour. This is a penitential, propitiatory utsava, which is performed to get rid of any evil effects that flow from occasions, such as ommissions, that might have occurred in chanting of the mantras or offerings of the pooja dravyas or performing various kainkaryas (services) to the deity. Pavitrotsava as the very word indicates is a festival of purity. In Tirumala this utsava is celebrated in the month of Aavani and is scheduled to conclude on aavani paurnami.

Pushpayaga

This is a ritual performed during Aippari Sravana day i.e., nearly a month after the Purattari Brahmotsavam in Tirumala. The various flowers used to be offered to God are as follows - Jaati, champaka, mallika, maalathi, tulasi, bakapushpa, dvikarni, padma, raktotpala, kumuda, karaveera, nandyavarta, paalasa, karnikaara, mandara, atasi, ketaksi, vakula, arjuna, punnaga, madhavi etc.,
Having offered the prayers and the flowers, food is offered in a large scale. Then water & tambulam is offered to God. Then accompanied by nritya, gana and vayidya, the deity is taken in Pradakshina around the temple, with which the utsava ends.

Pranayakalaha Utsava

In Tirumala, on the sravana day of October-November pushpayaga is performed and after one month i.e., on the krittika sravana the pranayakalaha samvada is observed. Pranayakalaha-utsava represents a reported misunderstanding between the Lord and his consort, which is settled amicably after arguments from both the parties. It is said that to rush to the rescue of Gajendra from the clutches of a crocodile, the Lord forgot to inform his consort and when he returned to His abode she refused to permit him. At that time Gajendra and makara took the form of devas and explained the reason. With this, the misunderstanding was sorted out.

Sankranthi

The Sankranti festival corresponds to the movement of the sun in the heavens. Makara sankranti and karkataka sankranti corresponding to the Uttarayana and Dakshinayana Punyakalas are specially observed universally. These days when coincide with amavasya days are considered to be extremely holy, and hence are observed in the temple.

Vasantotsavam and Grishnotsavam

The Lord of the universe is conceived by man in his own image and hence the Lord partakes of the man's festivals like vasanthotsavam (Spring festival) Grishnotsavam (summer festival) unjal tirunal(swinging festival) and the tiruppali - odam - tirunal (the floating festival). 

Vasanthotsavam: Vasanthotsavam as a main festival by itself lasts for 3 days in the month of chitra, from the day of the star chitra coinciding with Purnima or the fullmoon day. 

Kodai thirunal: The kodai thirunal is a summer festival just as vasanthotsavam during spring. 

Anna Unjal thirunal : Saluva Narasimha in Saka 1395 started Anna Unjal thirunal for Sri Malayappa. This became a desideration in Tirupati in case of Sri Govindarajaswamy.

Tiruppali-odam-Thirunal

Jayanthi Festivals: The jayanthis of different avataras such as sri Ramanavami, sri Krishnashtami, sri Narasimha jayanthi etc., are observed annually. Besides, certain other days, such as Tai-Amavasya, Ani Amavasya, Deepavali, Karthigai, Ugadi, Mahanavami, Ratha Sapthami etc., which are held sacred according to Hindu customs are also made festive occasions

Kalyana utsavam

In this utsavam, the marriage of sri Malayappan with his brides Sridevi and Bhudevi is performed. This is an impressive ceremony and begins with the Panchamurthi Pooja following the Vaikhamasa Agama rituals. The marriage is done with Mangala Sutra Dharana according to vedic rites. The thalambralu ceremony is also performed as irregular marriages. This is purely an arjitham festival. The donor is honoured at the end of the arjitham with a vasthram from the temple. Kalyana akshathalu are given to the grihastas who perform kalyanotsavam. 

Ratha Sapthami Festival

This is a well-known festival celebrated at sunrise on the magha suddha sapthami tithi. It is considered a visesha divas and is generally celebrated in all Vishnu temples. The street procession with the deity mounted in surya prabha takes place. Later seven processions on seven different vahanams take place before sunset. 

Pallavotsavam

Sriman Mahamandaleswarar Vittaleswara Maharaja instituted this festival. The festival commences in the same manner as the other festivals with Ankurarpana sthapana, Tirumanjanam, Homam, Panchaharis, Namarhana, the recitation of Vedas, Tamil Prabandhams and the reading of the puranas. There are asthanams, naivedyam in asthanams, and procession of the utsavamurthi with the nachchimars round the streets, returning to the bed chamba etc.
The other festivals are Poo Parittal vizha (The flower plucking festival) phalotsavam, vishesha thirunal and thingal divasams.

Each day is a festival in this temple city. It is not exaggeration when we say that more than 400 festivals are celebrated in 365 days in this bhooloka vaikuntham. The temple town vibrates with festivities and devotional chantings ever through the year.