Tirumala Padayatra 2023
Welcome all to this year edition of 'Tirumala Padayatra Event' writeup /
photo blog.
This year, the Padayatra began on Saturday, December 9, 2023, at
Chennai, and ended on Tuesday, December 12 2023, at
Tirumala, with the darshan of Lord Malayappaswamy.
Day 1
Saturday, 09 December 2023
Breakfast Session
In keeping with our tradition, we started the Padayatra from our Naicker
Chatiram Residence.
As planned, all the participants arrived to this start location by 7:00AM and after having breakfast, started the
pilgrimage by 8:00 AM from here.
This year we hired new catering team for food preparation for all 3 days.
They arrived on the previous evening itself to our start location, so that
they can prepare the breakfast early in the morning followed by lunch preparation.
Caterers on work...
Banners are getting ready for display
There had been a power cut in the morning while preparing the breakfast but
caterers managed to get the food ready on time. Around 7:30 breakfast was
served and immediately after breakfast pilgrims started their
Padayatra.
This year too we had 4 dedicated service vehicles as - separate catering
vehicle for utensils, grocery, gas and cylinders etc., a Baggage Van for
transporting the pilgrim bags and providing water supply during entire
pilgrimage and 2 service cars for the service & support of the pilgrims
throughout this 3 days padayatra.
For service and support alone we had totally 15 members, as such, 4 Service Members, 1 Chief In-charge / Liaison for Catering, 5 Catering staffs, 3 support assistants for loading
& unloading, cleaning etc. and 2 drivers for catering vehicle and
baggage van respectively.
The count of participating pilgrims this year were 60+ and importantly we
had many new participants including 3 female pilgrims and a youngest kid of
13 year old.
With all set, we started our this year Tirumala Padayatra.
Due to the heavy rain & storm during the first week of December, we
were bit worried about the weather, route & break point conditions since
if it is water logged or in a unusable condition it will become a tough time
to patch up things at this last moment. However except in few places
enroute, we never had any hardship due to the previous week storm.
Around 10:00 AM, buttermilk was served to the pilgrims as a refreshment, to
keep them hydrated, on the way to the Lunch Point.
Lunch Session
Pilgrims reached the Lunch location, 'Sri Govindha Bhavanam Trust Hall', in
Kannigaiper village & relaxing.
Around 12:00 noon, Lunch was served
Evening Session
After the lunch, some pilgrims took rest for a while and others continued
immediately for the next break location. Before the night halt location,
pilgrims will be served with Tea and snacks somewhere in between.
From Kannigaiper, Service vehicles reached the night halt location, Jessy
Mahal, Latchivakkam, by 3:00 pm so that evening tea & night dinner can
be prepared on time.
Grocery, utensils & Bags are getting unloaded from the Utility
vehicles.
At night halt location we unload all bags & belongings of all pilgrims. It will be collected by the respective pilgrim when they reach here and
again handed over to us on next morning before they leave. We should make
nothing is getting missed or mixed or left behind at any
location.
Meanwhile tea was ready and we went back few kilometers and served the tea
for the traveling pilgrims.
Tea break at roadside, near the village Tandalam.
Pilgrims arriving at the night halt location, Latchivakkam.
Around 7:30 PM dinner got served & pilgrims having their food
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