Tirupati: A tragic stampede occurred at the Vaikuntha Dwara Darshan ticket counter at the famous Tirupati Balaji Temple in Andhra Pradesh late Wednesday night, claiming the lives of six people, including one woman, and injuring 40 others. The incident occurred at around 9:30 PM when thousands of devotees were lining up to secure tokens for the Vaikuntha Ekadashi Darshan, scheduled for January 10.
According to Bhanu Prakash, a member of the temple trust, 91 counters had been opened to accommodate the crowd. More than 4,000 devotees were standing in line for tickets, with many instructed to form queues at the Baidari Patida Park. However, chaos ensued as devotees rushed forward in a desperate attempt to get ahead, leading to a stampede. During the commotion, people trampled over each other, resulting in the immediate death of a woman named Mallika. The injured were rushed to hospitals for medical treatment.
Tirupati’s Chief Minister, Chandrababu Naidu, expressed his sorrow over the incident. He immediately contacted senior officials to understand the situation and ordered relief measures. He also announced plans to visit the hospital and meet with the victims on Thursday to ensure they receive the best possible care.
Images from the scene show devotees packed tightly in front of the Vaikuntha Dwara ticket counters, with several falling victims to the stampede. Some people were seen helping the injured, while ambulances rushed the wounded to nearby medical facilities.
Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanam (TTD) officials had previously announced that the Vaikuntha Ekadashi Darshan would take place from January 10 to 19, with an estimated 700,000 devotees expected to visit the temple. The temple, renowned as one of the richest and most famous pilgrimage sites in India, has an annual tradition of drawing millions of devotees for its rituals.
The Tirupati temple, located atop the Seshachalam hills in Andhra Pradesh, is dedicated to Lord Venkateshwara, an incarnation of Lord Vishnu. According to temple legends, the deity took a loan from Lord Kubera, the god of wealth, to marry Padmavati, and that loan remains unpaid. Devotees offer donations to help repay this debt, with the temple receiving approximately one ton of gold every year.
The temple is also famous for its prasad—Laddu—which is distributed to every devotee visiting the shrine. Around three lakh laddus are made daily, prepared using chickpea flour, butter, sugar, cashew nuts, raisins, and cardamom, with a recipe that is over 300 years old.
Another unique tradition at Tirupati is the donation of hair, with devotees offering their hair as a sign of spiritual cleansing. The belief is that by giving up their hair, devotees rid themselves of sins and worldly attachments.
The Tirupati Balaji Temple, set on seven peaks of the Meru mountain, has seven hills that are said to symbolize the seven heads of the mythical serpent Sheshnag. The highest peak, Venkata, is where Lord Vishnu, known as Venkateshwara, is said to reside.
Tirupati Darshan takes place three times a day—early morning, afternoon, and evening. However, the full viewing of Lord Venkateshwara’s statue is only available during the morning Abhishekam ceremony on Fridays.
The temple is not only a pilgrimage site but also a place of historical and cultural significance. Many other sacred places like Akasha Ganga, Papanashak Teerth, and Vaikuntha Teerth are also located nearby, each with its own connection to Lord Vishnu’s divine leelas (playful acts). It is believed that the great saint Ramanujacharya had a vision of Lord Vishnu here, a moment that transformed his life and mission.
The stampede has left many shaken, and authorities have vowed to implement stronger crowd control measures in the future to avoid such incidents and ensure the safety of all pilgrims visiting the temple.
