Archive · 15 Sep 2026
Tirumala Brahmotsavams Begin With Dhwajarohanam and Vahana Sevas
The Brahmotsavams are a nine-day festival held at Tirumala for Lord Venkateswara.
The festival began on Tuesday with a special flag-hoisting ceremony called Dhwajarohanam.
The flag showed Garuda, who is Lord Venkateswara’s celestial carrier.
The flag is traditionally seen as an invitation to deities from different worlds.
Priests also performed prayers and took sacred deities in a golden palanquin.
The first vehicle procession carried Sri Malayappa Swamy on a seven-hooded serpent vehicle.
Music, dances, devotional singing and drum performances took place in the streets.
Tirumala was decorated with lights, displays and many traditional and exotic flowers.
The nine-day Salakatla Brahmotsavams began at Tirumala on Tuesday with Dhwajarohanam.
Priests hoisted a yellow flag bearing Lord Garuda’s image amid Vedic chants.
The first Vahana Seva featured Sri Malayappa Swamy on the Pedda Sesha Vahanam.
Cultural programmes, processions and decorations were held throughout Tirumala for the festival.
About 60 tonnes of traditional flowers and hundreds of thousands of cut flowers were used in decorations.
- Who
- Temple priests, Sri Malayappa Swamy, Lord Venkateswara and devotees participating in the Tirumala Brahmotsavams.
- What
- The nine-day Salakatla Brahmotsavams began with the Dhwajarohanam flag-hoisting ceremony and the first Vahana Seva.
- When
- The festival began on Tuesday; Ankurarpanam was held on Monday, and Dhwajarohanam took place from 6:21 pm to 6:35 pm.
- Where
- Tirumala, near Tirupati, including the hill temple and the four Mada streets.
- Why
- The Garuda flag is traditionally hoisted as a symbolic invitation to deities of various worlds to participate in the festival.
- Festival
- Nine-day Salakatla Brahmotsavams
- Opening ceremony
- Dhwajarohanam, held between 6:21 pm and 6:35 pm during Meena Lagnam
- Flag
- A sacred yellow Dhwajapatam bearing Lord Garuda’s image
- First Vahana Seva
- Pedda Sesha Vahanam, depicting the seven-hooded serpent Adi Sesha
- Daily tradition
- Sri Malayappa Swamy is taken around the Mada streets on different vahanams twice daily
- Flower decorations
- About 60 tonnes of traditional flowers, four lakh cut flowers and another 70,000 flowers were used
- Cultural events
- Dances, kolatam, bhajans and traditional drum performances were held in the four Mada streets