<p>The nine-day 'Adhika Masam Brahmotsavam' held once in three years began at the shrine of Lord Venkateswara at Tirumala, near here, on Saturday. The 'brahmotsavam' began with the hoisting of the 'Garuda' flag atop the golden 'dwajathambham' (flag mast) by high priests amid chanting of Vedic hymn amid observing Covid-19 precautionary measures, a temple official said.</p>.<p>Later, the centuries-old processional idols of Lord Venkateswara and consorts Padmavathi and Lakshmi, adorned with diamond-set ornaments and mounted on Pedda Sesha Vahanam (carrier) would be taken out of the sanctum sanctorum to the Kalyanotsava Mandapam inside the shrine, the official told PTI.</p>.<p>Special pujas were conducted for the celestial idols, he said. For the first time in the history of the ancient hill temple, the customary practice of taking out Lord Venkateswara in a grand procession on the 'vahanas' (celestial vehicles) around the temple was cancelled to avoid the huge congregation of devotees due to the coronavirus norms, the official said.</p>.<p>Because of 'Adhika Masam' (an extra month which makes it 13 months this year) in the traditional Hindu Lunar calendar, two 'Brahmotsavams' of nine days each are being conducted this year, he said. The regular 'Navaratri Brahmotsavam' would commence on October 16, the official said. </p>
<p>The nine-day 'Adhika Masam Brahmotsavam' held once in three years began at the shrine of Lord Venkateswara at Tirumala, near here, on Saturday. The 'brahmotsavam' began with the hoisting of the 'Garuda' flag atop the golden 'dwajathambham' (flag mast) by high priests amid chanting of Vedic hymn amid observing Covid-19 precautionary measures, a temple official said.</p>.<p>Later, the centuries-old processional idols of Lord Venkateswara and consorts Padmavathi and Lakshmi, adorned with diamond-set ornaments and mounted on Pedda Sesha Vahanam (carrier) would be taken out of the sanctum sanctorum to the Kalyanotsava Mandapam inside the shrine, the official told PTI.</p>.<p>Special pujas were conducted for the celestial idols, he said. For the first time in the history of the ancient hill temple, the customary practice of taking out Lord Venkateswara in a grand procession on the 'vahanas' (celestial vehicles) around the temple was cancelled to avoid the huge congregation of devotees due to the coronavirus norms, the official said.</p>.<p>Because of 'Adhika Masam' (an extra month which makes it 13 months this year) in the traditional Hindu Lunar calendar, two 'Brahmotsavams' of nine days each are being conducted this year, he said. The regular 'Navaratri Brahmotsavam' would commence on October 16, the official said. </p>