I would love to visit this temple at any given time, but witnessing Tirumala at night feels like wandering in a spiritual world altogether. Even waiting for a long time inside the temple premises doesn't bore me at this temple. This Kaliyuga Daiva, the Lord Venkateshwara, has the charm of keeping his devotees waiting for his sacred darshan and ensuring all his devotees feel satisfied at the end of the day. Being one of such ardent devotees, I would love to choose the night slots for my darshans.
Fortunately, in the last six months, I have been there thrice. Out of them, twice, I visited the temple at night. Once with my mother and sister during Brahmotsavams in September, and the other time I went solo for Vaikunta Dwara darshan in December 2023. Both were the most auspicious Saturday nights I have ever spent at Tirupati. Also, visiting Tirumala temple on Saturdays gives you a different vibe than other days as people visit more because of Lord Srinivasa's favourite day. And if you want to explore any place to the fullest, you must visit on the most happening days.
In Tirumala, other than every Saturday, Brahmotsavams, Vaikunta Ekadashi, and Vaikunta Dwara Darshan days are considered the most auspicious. Witnessing Tirumala on these days gives you a whole different experience than usual days because of the grandeur of decor inside the temple, breathtaking lighting and exclusive musical and dance events, including all the Vahana sevas where the Utsava Murthy carried on the palanquins amidst the enormous crowds, Vedic chants and Pandits. Generally, Tirumala's amenities, facilities and management are very feasible and high-end. Still, on these exclusive days, TTD ensures devotees don't feel uncomfortable in any facility.
In September 2023, I went with my mother and sister from Visakhapatnam to attend the Hanuman Vahana seva during the Salakatla Brahmotsavam time. As we had already booked a special entry darshan for 300/- rupees each, we managed to get our darshan completed in four hours. But we spend more than eight hours roaming around the temple premises exploring all the festivities. This festival has been happening for almost two weeks, and the crowd that visits Tirumala is nearly ten times larger than on regular days.
We have booked our slot for 8 o'clock in the night. After our various darshans at the temples of Tirupati, we got ready to visit Tirumala hills in the evening. We started around 4.30 in the evening. At the Alipiri Balaji bus stand, we courted an air-conditioned bus, paying 110/- rupees per person to visit the Tirumala temple. In an hour, we reached and felt like we went to a different place where the world was utterly disconnected from the hill. Because of the brahmotsavams, every inch of the temple premises, the four mada streets, shopping complexes, mandaps, koneru place, other temples, accommodation centres, and roads, including bus stops, were decked up as if some big fat Indian wedding was happening. Of course, Lord Venkateshwara is the Nityakalyana Swamy, which means he gets married daily. So, the vibe not only matched but crossed our expectations.
We entered the special darshan entry queues before seven and waited two hours in the compartments and queues. We finally got the deity's darshan at 9.30, and by 10'0 o'clock, we were already out after collecting laddus. As it was one of the auspicious days, the management made arrangements differently than on regular days. Hence, we got confused while collecting our bags, gadgets and footwear, but in fact, it was one chance for us to explore the temple's surroundings, which were heavily lit with a backdrop of continuous chants and Carnatic music. And with the vast crowd everywhere at the food stalls, shopping stalls and roads, it felt like a colossal festival. And I couldn't resist capturing such beautiful scenic views while roaming here and there. With utmost satisfaction, we left the temple premises on the hill and courted the last air-conditioned bus to return to our Tirupati stay in the city. That night always remain in our hearts spiritually and dearly.
Likewise, I had a similar experience on my next visit in December, during Vaikunta Ekadashi festive celebrations at the temple, but that time, I went all alone from Bangalore. Indeed, I spent the last day of 2023 on Tirumala Hill, and I was no less fortunate enough. Similarly, like the previous time, I booked the same 8'0 clock slot for the night darshan, only to rejuvenate my love for Tirumala nights. But that time, the crowd was more than before.
Vaikunta Dwara darshan is all about attaining Moksha, the liberation. People believe that our souls get enlightened instantly if we visit during this festive time. Unlike other times, they don't have free darshans, sevas, or anything. The TTD organisation only opens the slot for special entry darshan that costs 300/- rupees per person where every devotee would get a chance not only to have the darshan of Lord Venkateshwara but to walk through Vaikunta Dwaram, which stays open only for eight days in the year. In 2023, December 23 was Vaikunta Ekadashi, and I booked my slot on the night of 30th December. As I have already scheduled my travel, I even booked my return journey to Bangalore in the early hours of the 31st, assuming that my darshan would be done in 3 to 4 hours, but trust me; it took eight hours indeed for the completion of the whole darshan.
I went alone, but somehow, like god-sent, I met another spiritual enthusiast teenager who also travelled solo from Mumbai, only to spend his New Year's at Tirumala. We entered the queue around six, and our darshan happened at 11.45 at night. While waiting, we had so many good conversations, and now we are friends connected by the aspect of god and our love for Lord Srinivasa.
Even on that day, amidst the chilling temperatures and foggy weather, Tirumala looked radiant with its typical spiritual vibrancy. After collecting our footwear, belongings, bags, gadgets and laddu prasadams from respective counters without any confusion, we started roaming around. Knowing I would miss my return bus journey scheduled at 1:30, I didn't mind roaming around to embrace the Tirupati in the midnights. Indeed, that was the first time I spent on Tirumala Hills walking around the premises at midnight.
Of course, it didn't feel like midnight because of the crowd, lighting, and the stalls that were open then. I felt as if I was walking around at 7 p.m. That's how Tirumala carries its aura 24*7 on those auspicious days because the temple hardly closes for two hours, and the rest of the darshans happen around the clock tirelessly. That night, I experienced a different Tirumala because I was alone with a stranger friend, roaming, eating, talking, exploring, and clicking pictures with beautiful backdrops. I was lucky enough to get Vaikunta Dwara Darshan because it was difficult. Only when you manifest to the core will it happen.
The legend says Lord Venkateshwara's darshan is challenging, and one must humble himself and submit spiritually to him to step into his temple premises. In that case, I manifested in 2023 so badly that I had to be there, and I was there on two auspicious Saturdays. I spent my early hours of 31st December on Tirumala hills by bidding an excellent end to the year. Later, I bid my friend goodbye and courted the return bus to the city in the early morning, the first bus at 3'0 o'clock.
As my friends planned a trip to Wayanad for New Year's Eve, I had to rush back to Bangalore by taking an early bus at 4:30 from Tirupati to Bangalore. That's how I spent my two auspicious Saturday nights memorably amidst the festivities of Tirumala Tirupati Venkatesha.
