TTD to start Sheegra Darshan – Initiative to Hassle free Darshan of Tirumala Tirupati Balaji

Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanam (TTD) will be starting ‘Sheegra Darshan at Tirumala Tirupati Venkateshwara temple from October 21^st in 2009. This makes devotees to get hassle-free darshan. They need not to wait hours and hours in the queue line. SHeegra Darshan also blocks the black marketing of Darshan tickets.
Express Buzz reports:

• Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanam (TTD) is all set to introduce “Sheegra Darshan” at the hill shrine of Tirumala from October 21. The new initiative is aimed at making worship hassle-free and subsequently eliminating black marketing of darshan tickets.
• Briefing reporters here on Monday, I Y R Krishna Rao, executive officer, TTD, said the price of a Sheegra Darshan ticket has been tagged at Rs 300. He said, “four counters have been opened for the purpose at Vaikuntam queue complex I at Tirumala. Besides, every ticket holder will receive two laddus. The pilgrims in Sarvadarsanam and Sheegra Darshan will move simultaneously and join the bridge point at the temple, he noted. He also said no time limit has been fixed for having darshan, but it all depends on the number of visitors to the temple.
• The TTD official said the number of tickets issued under the new darshan scheme is unlimited, which is made available for devotees round-the-clock. Moreover, no advance reservation system has been made and people should purchase tickets only from the counters, he added.
• Krishna Rao said the existing Archana Anantara Darshan (AAD) that costs Rs 200 has been scrapped. However, those who have already reserved AAD tickets can utilise Sheegra Darshan facility without additional charges.
• He said the Sudarshan token system, in which devotees can block the allotted time for darshan at a cost of Rs 50 would continue. There are about seven booking counters in India, offering 15,000 tickets everyday. He also said all the sevas, including Thomala Seva and Archana, have been put on hold for time being. The sevas have been temporarily stopped. A committee constituted for reviewing the sevas is expected to submit its report by the first week of November, he said.After it submits its reports, we will restart sevas,” he said.
• Answering a query on covering the temple walls with gold plates, on which Tamil inscriptions are found, Krishna Rao asserted that all the inscriptions have been digitalised and laminated. He also said that the process of collecting the wealth particulars of TTD temples is on.