Tirumala witnessed massive crowds on the auspicious Vaikunta Ekadasi festival, with devotees arriving in huge numbers for darshan. The day holds deep spiritual importance in the Vaishnava tradition and naturally draws pilgrims from across the country.
On Vaikunta Ekadasi, the temple opens the Vaikunta Dwaram, the northern gate that remains closed throughout the year. Devotees believe that passing through this gate brings moksha and entry into Vaikuntha, making the occasion extremely sacred.
However, the festival also exposed an unpleasant display of VIP culture at the shrine. While celebrities and MLAs moved freely for darshan, common devotees who waited all year were left standing in long and exhausting queues.
The situation worsened as media coverage focused heavily on celebrities and VIPs. Continuous visuals of their darshan dominated television and social media, sidelining the devotion and patience of ordinary pilgrims.
A large number of YSR Congress leaders were seen among the VIP crowd. TTD later clarified that no special privilege was given and that darshan followed protocol, but this explanation failed to address the real concern.
The issue is not about which party leaders received darshan. The real question is why any celebrity or VIP should get preference on such an auspicious day meant for all devotees equally.
TTD should have cancelled all special darshans on Vaikunta Ekadasi and prioritised common devotees. Allowing VIP shortcuts on sacred occasions risks eroding public trust in the temple system.
The Chandrababu Naidu government must introduce clear regulations to ensure fairness in TTD darshans. If not every day, at least on highly auspicious days, Tirumala should completely do away with VIP culture.
Even VIP devotees must reflect on whether bypassing queues truly earns divine blessings. Faith and devotion should matter more than status inside a sacred shrine.
