YSRC senior leader and former TTD Chairman Bhumana Karunakar Reddy strongly opposed the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams’ plan to limit the Vaikunta Dwara Darshanam to two days. He reminded that the ten-day practice, started in 2020 under the YS Jagan Mohan Reddy government, allowed nearly ten lakh devotees to participate in the sacred event.
Karunakar Reddy said the extended darshan period was finalized after consultations with Swamijis, Peetadhipathis, and Vaikhanasa Aagama scholars. He noted that 26 Peetadhipathis, 32 Hindu religious leaders, and several Aagama experts had endorsed the ten-day schedule. Reducing it to two days, he warned, would deny lakhs of devotees a rare spiritual experience.
He criticized the TTD’s reasoning that the change was due to a stampede last year. He stated that the mishap occurred because of poor crowd management, not the darshan duration.
Reddy urged the TTD to protect the temple’s tradition and public faith. He questioned whether other long-standing rituals like Punnami Garuda Seva or Pushpalankara Seva would also face curtailment. He appealed to the temple board to retain the ten-day Vaikunta Dwara Darshanam for devotees’ convenience and religious continuity.
