Vasanthotsavam is an annual festival celebrated in Tirumala to welcome the arrival of spring season. The festival is observed for three days on tryodasi, chaturdasi and pournami in the month of Chaitra(March/April) and this year it is celebrated from April 2nd to 4th. TTD has geared up to observe this festival in a big way in vasantha Mandapam.
The festival was introduced in Tirumala during the period of Achyutaraya (Saka 1460), with a fund of 3000 narpanams.
Ankurarpanam (sowing the nine kind of seeds) ceremony is conducted on the day of Uttarabhadra star in Hindu calendar month of Panguni, a day before the commencement of the Vasanthotsavam festival on April 1.
Punyaha vachanam (purificatory rites), vaasthu santhi(worship of deity and lord of nature and their elements and natural forces as well as lord and deity of directions and environment) and samprokshanam rituals are performed by the temple priests(sacred consecration). Access to these rituals are not open to pilgrims.
Snapana Thirumanjanam (Holy bathing), is performed to the utsava murthy of Lord Malayappa Swamy and his consorts on all the three days in the Vasanthotsavam hall outside the temple premises. On the Second day Lord Malayappa Swamy flanked by his two Consorts will take pleasure ride along the temple streets between 8am to 9am on Golden Chariot.
On the third day, snapanam is performed to the idols of Lord Sri Rama, Sita, Lakshmana and Hanuman along with Lord Sri Krishna, Rukmini and Satyabhama.
As lunar eclipse falls on April 4, the Snapana Thirumanjanam ceremony will be performed well in advance between 5 am to 6. 30am itself instead of 2pm to 4pm on this day.
Courtesy: ttd
