A batch of devotees from Gopasandram village in Krishnagiri district of Tamil Nadu trekked all the way to reach Tirupati, the holy abode of Lord Venkateswara, on Friday, covering a distance of over 250 km on foot.
The devotees, numbering in their hundreds, reached the temple of Sri Kalyana Venkateswara in Srinivasa Mangapuram this morning, ahead of reaching Srivari Mettu, where the flight of stairs to the Tirumala hills begins.
On coming to know of their arduous trek, Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) trust board chairman Bhumana Karunakar Reddy came to Srinivasa Mangapuram to receive the group. He appreciated their devotion towards the Lord of Seven Hills and their perseverance to realise their dream.
“Devotees like Purandaradasa, Tallapaka Annamacharya, Vyasaraya, emperor Sri Krishanadevaraya and many others trekked to the Tirumala hills on this very route and attained salvation,” he said.
TTD joint executive officer V. Veerabrahmam, special grade deputy executive officer V. Varalakshmi and Dakshina Tirupati temple chairman Narayana Swami welcomed the devotees.
Annamacharya Project artistes also gathered in large numbers to welcome the devotees by singing music compositions and performing bhajans.
