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Anivara Asthanam
Anivara Asthanam takes place every year in Tirumala on Karkataka Sankranthi during the auspicious period of Dakshinayana in July. Since it takes place on the last day of Tamil Ani maasa, it is called Anivara Asthanam.
In the past, the annual accounting of the Lord’s income and expenditure, assets and liabilities, etc used to commence on the day of Anivara Asthanam. The budget is now shifted to April as per the modern practice. The utsava, however, continues to take place as usual.
On that day, The processional deities of Lord Malayappa Swamy, Goddesses Sridevi and Bhudevi is taken on Sarva Bhupala Vahana to the front yard of Golden Entrance and chief commander of Lord Sri Vishwaksena comes in a different palanquin were seated opposite at Garudalwar Sannidhi and the Asthanam-temple court will be performed.
They are offered clothes and food on a grand scale. After the blessing with turmeric rice, the Executive Officer is handed over the key bunch of the temple and offered harathi and shathari. Prasadam is distributed later.
This ceremony takes place before the Golden Entrance in which only priests, Jiyyengars, officers and employees of the temple participate.
A special flower palanquin
After all the morning rituals are done, in the evening a special elegant flower palanquin is arranged to the Swami. This palanquin is known as ‘Pushpapallaki Seva’. Lord Malayappa Swami along with His consorts Sridevi and Bhudevi adorn the flower palanquin to bless the devotees.
Special attractionÂ
This flower palanquin is decorated with lots of sacred flowers. Approximately 1000 kgs of flowers are being used to decorate the flower palanquin. Every year TTD Garden Department will take care of the flower palanquin. The flowers for embellishing the palanquin will be given by the donors. Before a week to the Asthanam day, garden department staff will start the decoration performing pujas. After puja, they will start decorating the palanquin according to some theme like dasavatharas theme etc. The exquisite palanquin with decorated flowers feasts the eyes of the devotees. Then the offered flowers are sent for reuse as intense sticks using dry-flower technology.
Read About Annual Ceremonies at Tirumala
