Sri Venkateswara Swami Vari Brahmotsavam or Srivari Brahmotsavam is the most significant annual

fête In the United Kingdom and some of its former colonies, a fête or fete is a public festival organised to raise money for a charity, typically held outdoors. It generally includes entertainment and the sale of goods and refreshments. Fetes are ty ...

celebrated at the

Venkateswara Temple The Venkateswara Temple of Tirumala or Sri Venkateswara Swami Temple is a Hindu temple situated in the hills of Tirumala, Tirupati Urban mandal, Tirupati Urban Mandal in the Tirupati district of Andhra Pradesh, India. The temple is dedicated t ...

Tirumala Tirumala is a Hindu religious temple town in Tirupati district of the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh. It is one of the neighbourhoods of the Tirupati city. The town is a part of Tirupati Urban Development Authority and located in Tirupat ...

Tirupati Tirupati () is a city in the Indian States and territories of India, state of Andhra Pradesh and serves as the administrative headquarters of Tirupati district. It is known for its significant religious and cultural heritage, being home to th ...

Tirupati district Tirupati district () is one of the eight districts of Rayalaseema region in the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh.The district headquarters is located at Tirupati city. This district is known for its numerous historic temples, including the Hindu ...

Andhra Pradesh Andhra Pradesh (ISO 15919, ISO: , , AP) is a States and union territories of India, state on the East Coast of India, east coast of southern India. It is the List of states and union territories of India by area, seventh-largest state and th ...

India India, officially the Republic of India, is a country in South Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by area, seventh-largest country by area; the List of countries by population (United Nations), most populous country since ...

. which falls between the Telugu calendar of Aasveeyujamu and the

Gregorian calendar The Gregorian calendar is the calendar used in most parts of the world. It went into effect in October 1582 following the papal bull issued by Pope Gregory XIII, which introduced it as a modification of, and replacement for, the Julian cale ...

months of September or October. The ''Utsava-murti'' (processional deity) of the presiding deity,

Venkateswara Venkateswara (, ), also known as Venkatachalapati, Venkata, Balaji and Srinivasa, is a Hindu deity, described as a form or avatar of the god Vishnu. He is the presiding deity of Venkateswara Temple, Tirumala, Venkateswara Temple, Tirupati. Hi ...

, and his consorts Sridevi and Bhudevi are taken on a procession on several ''

vahana ''Vāhana'' () or ''vahanam'' () denotes the being, typically an animal or mythical entity, a particular Hindus, Hindu deity is said to use as a vehicle. In this capacity, the vāhana is often called the deity's "mount". Upon the partnership b ...

ms'' on the streets surrounding the temple. The celebration attracts pilgrims and tourists from all over India and around the world. A ''Brahmotsavam'' is a cleansing ceremony in honor of

Lord Brahma Brahma (, ) is a Hindu god, referred to as "the Creator" within the Trimurti, the triple deity, trinity of Para Brahman, supreme divinity that includes Vishnu and Shiva.Jan Gonda (1969)The Hindu Trinity, Anthropos, Bd 63/64, H 1/2, pp. 212– ...

, and the ceremony at Tirumala is the largest.

Etymology

The word ''Brahmotsavam'' is a combination of two

Sanskrit Sanskrit (; stem form ; nominal singular , ,) is a classical language belonging to the Indo-Aryan languages, Indo-Aryan branch of the Indo-European languages. It arose in northwest South Asia after its predecessor languages had Trans-cultural ...

words—''

Brahma Brahma (, ) is a Hindu god, referred to as "the Creator" within the Trimurti, the triple deity, trinity of Para Brahman, supreme divinity that includes Vishnu and Shiva.Jan Gonda (1969)The Hindu Trinity, Anthropos, Bd 63/64, H 1/2, pp. 212– ...

'' and ''utsavam'' (festival)—and Brahma reportedly conducted the first festival. ''Brahma'' also means "grand" or "large". Srivari Brahmotsavam is also known as "Venkateswara Salakatla Brahmotsavams" and "Venkateswara Navaratri Brahmotsavams".

Two festivals

When there is an extra month in the Telugu calendar, two Brahmotsavam are held viz., Salakatla and Navarathri. Both festivals were held in 2015, 2018, 2020 and 2023 Brahmotsavam 2024 This year, in 2024, since there is no Adhika Maasa, there will only be one Brahmotsavam, which is the annual Salakatla Brahmotsavam. The Salakatla Brahmotsavam and the Navaratri Brahmotsavam will be held together.. The TTD Brahmotsavam 2024 will take place from October 3 to October 12. In Salakatla Brahmotsavam, Rathotsavam (Big Chariot) is held on the morning of the eighth day; during

Navaratri Navaratri () is an annual Hindu festival observed in honor of the goddess Durga, an aspect of Adi Parashakti, the supreme goddess. It spans over nine nights, first in the month of Chaitra (March/April of the Gregorian calendar), and aga ...

Brahmotsavam, Golden Chariot (Swarna Rathotsavam) is held that morning of the eighth day. In Salakatla Brahmotsavam, there will be flag hoisting (Dwajarohanam) on 1st day and flag-lowering (Dwajaavarohanam) on the evening of the ninth day.

History and legend

According to the

legend of Tirumala For one of the major Hindu denominations, the Tirumala Sri Venkateshvara Temple at Tirupati in the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh is the most famous Vaishnavite temple in the world. The presiding deity of Vishnu here is referred to as Venkate ...

, Brahma descends to earth to conduct the festival. ''Sri Venkteswara Sahasranamastotra'' refers to Brahma performing the festival, signified by a small, empty wooden chariot (''brahmaratham'') which moves ahead of the processions of the

processional deity Malayappa. The first reference to festivals in the

Tirumala Venkateswara Temple The Venkateswara Temple of Tirumala or Sri Venkateswara Swami Temple is a Hindu temple situated in the hills of Tirumala, Tirupati Urban Mandal in the Tirupati district of Andhra Pradesh, India. The temple is dedicated to Venkateswara, a for ...

was in 966 CE, when the Pallava queen Samavai endowed land and ordered its revenue to celebrate festivals in the temple. Until 1582, Brahmotsavams were held as often as 12 times a year.

Celebrations

The Brahmotsavam is held over nine days at the beginning of the

Hindu calendar The Hindu calendar, also called Panchangam, Panchanga (), is one of various lunisolar calendars that are traditionally used in the Indian subcontinent and Southeast Asia, with further regional variations for social and Hindu religious purposes ...

month of Āśvina, paralleling

. The evening before the first day, the rite of Ankurarpana (the sowing of seeds to signify fertility and abundance) is performed. The main first-day activity is Dwajarohana, the raising of the

Garuda Garuda (; ; Vedic Sanskrit: , ) is a Hindu deity who is primarily depicted as the mount (''vahana'') of the Hindu god Vishnu. This divine creature is mentioned in the Hindu, Buddhist, and Jain faiths. Garuda is also the half-brother of the D ...

flag to signify the beginning of the festival. Religious activities during the festival include daily

homas In Indian religions, a homa (Sanskrit: होम), also known as havan, is a fire ritual performed on special occasions. In Hinduism, by a Hindu priest usually for a homeowner ("grihastha": one possessing a home). The grihasth keeps different ...

and processions on streets surrounding the temple. The final day commemorates Venkateswara's birth star. The

Sudarshana Chakra The Sudarshana Chakra (, ) is a divine discus, attributed to Vishnu in the Hindu scriptures. The Sudarshana Chakra is generally portrayed on the right rear hand of the four hands of Vishnu, who also holds the Panchajanya (conch), the Kaumodak ...

is bathed in the

temple tank Temple tanks are water well, wells or reservoirs built as part of the temple complex near Indian temples. They are called pushkarini, kalyani, kunda, sarovara, Theertham, tirtha, talab, pukhuri, ambalakkuḷam, etc. in different languages and r ...

with the devotees. The Chakra is then placed on a high platform, and the devotees walk under it and are blessed with its dripping water. The festival ends with Dhvajavarohanam, the lowering of the Garuda flag.

Procedure

*First day **Morning : Dwajarohanam **Evening : Pedda Shesha Vahanam *Second day **Morning : Malayappa in Chinnasesha Vahanam

**Evening : Malayappa in hamsa vahanam

*Third day **Morning : Simha Vahanam **Evening : Malayappa in mutyala pandiri vahanam

*Forth day **Morning : Malayappa in kalpavriksham vahanam

**Evening : Malayappa in sarvabhoopala vahanam

*Fifth day **Morning :Mohini Avatharam **Evening :Garuda Vahanam *Sixth day **Morning : Hanumatha Vahanam, Vasanthotsavam **Pre Evening : Malayappa in swarnarathotsavam

**Evening :Gaja Vahanam *Seventh day **Morning :Surya Prabha Vahanam **Evening :Chandra Prabha Vahanam *Eighth day **Morning :Rathotsavam **Evening :Aswa Vahanam *Ninth day **Morning :Pallaki utsavam, Chakra snanam **Evening :Dwaja avarohanam

References

Sources

* *

External links

The Hindu reports on Brahmotsavam
* {{Tirupati topics Festivals in Andhra Pradesh Hindu festivals Religious festivals in India September October Tirumala festivals Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams Tirumala Venkateswara Temple Tirupati