T i r u m a l a P a d a y a t r a 2024

Welcome all to this year photo album of 'Tirumala Padayatra Event'.

This year, Tirumala Padayatra started on Saturday 07, December 2024 from our usual NCR (Naicker Chatiram Residence) location and ended with the pilgrims having their darshan at Tirumala on Tuesday 10 December 2024.

Route Map & Itinerary

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Padayatra Photos & Event Highlights

This year, our Padayatra saw participation from approximately 96 pilgrims—our highest count to date.

How does the pilgrim count matters? They are just going to walk & we need some extra food made, that's it.

Yes, absolutly right, in a simple way, but the reality is more nuanced.

Typically, our group size ranges between 60 to 75 members, which includes both pilgrims and the support teams. The service and catering teams alone usually consist of 8 to 12 members, depending on the pilgrim count.

Back in July, when we first announced the dates for this year’s Padayatra, we received interest from nearly 130 individuals. To ensure a safe and comfortable experience for everyone, we decided to cap the number at 100. Even that felt like a considerable stretch given the logistical demands.

In addition to the pilgrims, this year’s arrangements included:

- 2 service vehicles, each staffed with 2 personnel

- A catering team of 6, supported by 3 additional helpers

- A dedicated catering transport van with a driver

- An exclusive baggage van with a driver, which also carried water bottles for the entire journey

These additions brought the total support crew to 15 members, further highlighting the scale and coordination required for a pilgrimage of this size.

Now, turning to the key moments of this year Padayatra 2024.

Day 1 - Saturday, 07 December 2024

Morning Breakfast & Start of Padayatra

Refreshment around 10:30 AM

Afternoon Lunch @ Kannigaiper

Evening Tea Break

Dinner & Night Stay @ Latchivakkam Village

Exigency Event - 1

From the refreshment point near Kannigaiper and heading toward our night halt at Latchivakkam, we encountered severely damaged and nearly impassable roads along much of the route.

Although both our service vehicles — the Tata Altroz and Honda CR-V — offer decent ground clearance, we had to navigate with extreme caution to avoid deep potholes and prevent underbody damage.

As Padayatra support vehicles, their frequent need to shuttle along the path only amplified the challenge.

Following dinner around 8:30 PM, we discovered that one of our vehicles—the Tata Altroz—had sustained underbody damage and was leaking fluid continuously. It appeared to have struck large rocks hidden within the potholes, which likely scraped and rolled beneath the chassis, damaging critical components.

Being in a remote village on a Saturday night, we couldn't locate a nearby mechanic. The closest Tata service centers were in Puttur or Chennai, neither of which could be approached until the following morning. Given it was a Sunday, we weren’t even sure they would be operational. With the fluid still leaking, there was a real concern about whether the vehicle would start at all by morning.

After much deliberation, we decided to drive the Altroz back to Chennai while it was still running—despite the leak—and leave it at a mechanic’s workshop. The plan was to start early the next morning with another vehicle and rejoin the Padayatra at the breakfast point.

By around 9:30 PM, I began the tense 60 KM journey back to Chennai in the damaged Altroz. Between the poor road conditions and uncertainty about the vehicle’s endurance, it was a challenging drive. I reached home around 11:30 PM, parked the Altroz in my garage, and resolved to inspect it after returning from the Padayatra.

At dawn, around 6:00 AM, I set out in my Honda City toward Nagalapuram—the breakfast location. Unlike the Altroz, the City’s lower ground clearance meant I had to drive with even more care.

Meanwhile, the pilgrims had begun walking at 2:30 AM from Latchivakkam, and many had already reached Nagalapuram by the time I arrived at 7:15 AM. The breakfast arrangements were well underway.

Exigency Event - 2

While en route to Nagalapuram, I received a call from our Coordinator, Yuvaraj Anna, inquiring whether I'd begun my journey and asking for an update on the Altroz. I informed him that I had just left the car in my garage for inspection later and had set off in my Honda City towards our breakfast spot in Nagalapuram.

He then mentioned that the second service vehicle, the Honda CR-V, was also leaking fluid from underneath and needed immediate attention. Upon reaching Nagalapuram, we inspected the CR-V and discovered that its underbody oil sump had developed a crack—likely due to impact with rocks hidden in the potholes. It was evident that the vehicle required mechanical servicing.

Thankfully, we located a nearby mechanic’s shop, which opened around 9:30 AM. The mechanic suggested a temporary fix by draining the existing fluids, drying the affected area, and sealing the crack with a strong adhesive. This workaround would allow the vehicle to remain functional for a few days, enough to complete the Padayatra and return to Chennai.

The repair was completed only by 11:45 AM. Until then, we were reliant on just one operational service vehicle to manage local purchases, deliver refreshments to pilgrims, and attend to urgent logistical needs.

Day 2 - Sunday, 08 December 2024

Morning Breakfast @ Nagalapuram

Incidental Event - 1

The breakfast session began around 7:30 AM, and by 9:00 AM, most of the pilgrims and service team had completed their meal. However, a few newly joined pilgrims hadn’t yet reached the breakfast point. Upon checking with them, we learned they were still only halfway there. Observing their walking pace, we decided it would be best to deliver food to them directly via our service vehicle.

Although we didn’t have proper food packaging materials on hand, we improvised with temporary solutions and packed as much food as possible. Using our only available service vehicle at the time, we backtracked and ensured the delayed pilgrims received their meal en route.

Refreshment around 11:30 AM

Lunch break @ Pitchatoor

Exigency Event - 3

By around 3:30 PM, the lunch session had concluded, and some pilgrims had already resumed their walk toward the night halt and dinner point, approximately 8 KM away.

However, two separate groups of pilgrims who had been trailing behind since morning had still not arrived at the lunch spot. We contacted one of the groups and advised them to have lunch en route, as it was already quite late. We also suggested that if they felt unable to continue walking, they should consider taking a vehicle to the night halt location to rest and recover. We assured them that further decisions could be made once they reached there.

Meanwhile, one of our service vehicles headed to the local market to purchase vegetables and other perishables for dinner and the next morning’s breakfast. The other vehicle remained at the lunch site to handle wrap-up tasks such as settling rental payments and overseeing cleanup.

A short while later, we received an urgent call from one of the trailing groups reporting that a companion had fainted and required immediate medical attention. We quickly dispatched a vehicle, picked them up, and rushed to the nearest medical facility for first aid.

The attending doctor assured us there was no serious concern—it was a case of dehydration, stress, and fatigue. Rest and proper nourishment were all that was needed. After treatment, we safely transported the pilgrim to the night halt location to recover.

Evening Snacks &Tea

Event Meeting @ Night Stay location

Dinner & Night Stay @ Palamangalam Village

Day 3 - Monday, 09 December 2024

Early Morning Start

As a safety initiative this year, all pilgrims were equipped with reflective suspenders.

With rising traffic and broader roads, early-morning walkers often went unnoticed by vehicle drivers, who typically don’t expect groups of people on foot during dark hours.

These suspenders significantly improved visibility, making pilgrims easily noticeable even from a distance while walking along unlit roads.

Morning Tea Break @ Narayanavanam By-Pass

Breakfast in a Hall @ Puttur By-Pass Junction

Exigency Event - 4

By around 8:30 AM, breakfast had been completed. The plan for the morning involved dispatching one service vehicle to the local market for essential purchases, while another vehicle was assigned to arrange and distribute refreshments to pilgrims along the route.

Just then, we encountered another medical emergency involving a pilgrim who reported severe stomach pain and discomfort. We were near the Puttur Town bypass road, so we promptly took him into town in search of a 24-hour medical facility. A local resident guided us to a nearby government hospital known for round-the-clock doctor availability.

The doctor examined the pilgrim and diagnosed it as a gastric-related stomach upset. He prescribed two tablets and assured us that the condition would improve within a few hours.

Meanwhile, before we could return to the breakfast location from hospital, another service vehicle had already left for its next task. We advised the affected pilgrim to take the medication and rest while we completed our market errands—which included stocking up on supplies for lunch, evening snacks, dinner, and replenishing water bottles for the next 24 hours. We estimated it would take around two hours.

After completing the purchases, we returned and transported the pilgrim to the lunch location. There, we recommended he continue resting and travel in the service vehicle to the night halt point for proper recovery.

Refreshment around 11:30 AM

Lunch @ Appalayagunta Village

Incidental Event - 2 & Exigency Event - 5

After lunch, the service team split responsibilities: one vehicle remained at the lunch site to assist with the preparation and distribution of evening snacks to pilgrims en route, while the other headed to the night halt location to ensure proper accommodation arrangements. This year, due to the increased number of pilgrims, we had hired two adjacent halls for the night stay—one of which was a new venue—so it was essential to have someone present to manage any issues or complaints.

Meanwhile, the same two trailing pilgrim groups had still not reached the lunch point, even after most others had moved on. Once again, we packed food and traveled back to deliver meals to them. It’s important to note that this stretch of the route—from the previous point to Appalayagunta village—spans nearly 9 KM without any eateries or shops.

While distributing food to the trailing groups about 4 KM before Appalayagunta, we received an urgent call from another service vehicle reporting a medical emergency. The previously unwell pilgrim left at the lunch location again required immediate first aid and had to be taken to some Medical facility in Tiruchanur Town. This meant our vehicle now had to handle both snack distribution and then proceed to the night halt location soon.

We rushed back, but the snacks weren’t ready yet. The chief cook also reported a shortage of milk for tea and disposable cups—the cups had been left in another service vehicle that departed in haste without handing them over. Being in a small village, sourcing these items was difficult, but we managed to find a tea shop that had extra milk packets and cups, which we purchased for the evening session.

Also, after Appalayagunta, pilgrims take a scenic 6 KM farmland path that’s inaccessible to vehicles. Service vehicles must instead follow a longer road route of nearly 10 KM to reconnect with the pilgrims further ahead.

Once the snacks and tea were ready, we loaded them into our service vehicle, reached the pilgrims through the longer road route and began distributing snacks & tea to pilgrims along the route.

Soon after, we received another call from the service vehicle handling the medical emergency. They reported that the road to Tiruchanur was in extremely poor condition—muddy, full of potholes, and nearly impassable even for the Honda CR-V. They strongly advised against taking the Honda City through that route. Although the direct path was only 3 KM, we opted for the safer highway route, which was 12 KM instead.

We drove up to the damaged road section to assess it firsthand, but it was clearly too risky. With two service vehicles already having suffered underbody damage earlier in the journey—and one still in uncertain condition—we chose not to jeopardize the Honda City. Taking the highway, we reached the night halt location safely by around 7:00 PM

Fortunately, the other service vehicle reached the night halt location well in time and assisted the pilgrims in settling into the new venue smoothly.

Evening Snacks & Tea

Evening refreshments were served to the pilgrims along the route itself, featuring hot Gobi Manchurian paired with a comforting cup of tea. The timely snack break offered a much-needed boost of energy during the journey.

Dinner & Night Halt @ Alamelumangapuram aka Tiruchanur

Day 4 - Tuesday, 08 December 2024

Starting from Tiruchanur

Morning Breakfast @ Balaji Woodlands Hotel, Tirupati [Opp. Main Bus Stand]

Final Distribution Point of Pilgrim's Baggages @ Alipiri Junction

At Alipiri

In Footpath, On the way to Tirumala

So, with this, we come to the end of this 2024 Padayatra Pilgrimage to Tirumala from Chennai.

This year’s Padayatra was successfully completed, though it unfolded as an eventful journey marked by unexpected challenges and critical moments. From medical emergencies to vehicle breakdowns, each hurdle tested our resilience—but the spirit of service and teamwork carried us through.

With this year, this Tirumala Padayatra Pilgrimage Event is being successfully conducted and completed for 36th year consecutively, without any break.

Thanks for the support of all the Participants, Organizers and Admin Groups, Service Members, Catering Teams, Convoy Drivers, Sponsors & Patrons and other service and product providers etc. for their tireless efforts and coordination for making this yearly pilgrimage a successful event.

Also thanks to all those participants who shared Padayatra photos in our WhatsApp group.

Will meet again next year, until then Good Bye.

Happy Padayatra.

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Endnote

Before we conclude, it’s worth noting that this year’s Padayatra we had around 96 participants — our highest turnout to date.

At first glance, one might wonder: “Why does the number of pilgrims matter? They’re just walking, and we simply need to prepare a bit more food.”

That’s true in a basic sense—but the reality is far more layered.

An increase of 3 or 4 pilgrims may be manageable. But when the count rises by 10s or 20s, it begins to impact nearly every aspect of the Padayatra:

- Groceries and provisions must be scaled up significantly

- Catering staff need to be increased to maintain service quality

- Baggage volume grows, requiring either a larger van or an additional one

- Water cans multiply, demanding more storage space and handling

- Importantly, rest stops and night stay accommodation must be spacious enough to comfortably fit a the larger group

From logistics and operations to contingency planning, every layer of coordination feels the strain. This year, we experienced those challenges firsthand—affecting not only service quality but also the timeliness of our schedule.

Overall this year Padayatra was successfully completed, though it proved to be an eventful journey filled with unexpected exigencies and incidentals. From logistical hurdles to medical concerns, each challenge reminded us of the importance of preparedness and balance.

Therefore, in light of these experiences, moving forward, we may consider limiting the number of participants to our usual range of 60 to 70, ensuring a smoother coordination and better care for all involved.

Again, we thank everyone for their unwavering spirit and cooperation throughout this sacred journey.

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Feedback & Comments

Below are feedback & credits shared by our wonderful participants