Priests to recite Tamil Tiruppavai stanzas at Tirumala temple from Dec 17

Sacred Tamil Tiruppavai verses will be recited in place of customary Sanskrit Suprabhatham hymns by priests early each day at the Lord Venkateswara temple at Tirumala in Dhanurmasam month, commencing from December 17 to January 14, a senior temple official said on Wednesday.

"In compliance with a millennium-old tradition, the recitation of Tamil stanzas composed and sung by saint poet Sri Andal of Srivilliputhur in Tamil Nnadu is done by the priests before the presiding deity of Lord Venkateswara in the month of Dhanurmasam," a temple official told PTI. 

Sri Andal is the only female Alwar of 12 Alwars who immersed and espoused their devotion in Lord Vishnu in between 5th and 10th centuries AD. Devotees would not be allowed into the shrine during the recitation of the Tiruppavai, he said, adding that the Suprabhatham recital would be resumed only from January 15.

The TTD that manages the hill temple has not yet taken a decision on the entry of the devotees to take part in the pre-dawn-rituals at the temple due to COVID-19 precautions, he said.

However, about 30,000 devotees have been thronging the shrine daily for darshan of the Lord, he said. A total of about Rs 2 crore revenue in the form of cash offerings is being obtained through Hundi (offerings box) alone each day besides the sale of ''darshan'' tickets.