Tirupati

Braving a heavy downpour, about 3 lakh devotees tonight joined the auspicious ‘Garudaseva’ procession of Lord Venkateswara on the fifth day of the annual ‘Salakatla Brahmotsavam’ at Tirumala near here.

The ancient idol of Lord Venkateswara, adorned with several diamond ornaments, including the ‘Sri Lakshmi Kaasula Haaram’, ‘Makharakanti Haaram’ and ‘Chandra Haaram’ and mounted on a decorated golden ‘Garuda Vahanam’, was taken out in a grand procession around the massive shrine, temple sources said.

Over one lakh devotees had reached the hills on foot on the 10-km-long pathway leading to the shrine starting from Alipiri point here, they said.

There was adequate police deployment for the occasion on the hills and routes leading to the hill shrine.

PTI