TTD / Tirumala & Tirupati VIP Break Darshan – Online Booking, Tirumala Darshan Timings & VIP Break Darshan Darshan Benefits
Recently on September, the Board of Trustees of the TTD adopted different resolutions. When they arrived at these resolutions, their focus was to benefit pilgrims visiting the Tirumala Balaji Temple. Among the many decisions they made, the key decision was related to the VIP Break Darshan. They decided that the timing of this darshan should be changed. Let us learn more about the VIP Break Darshan System here:
What is VIP Break Darshan?
The TTD Board, as you know, manages the Tirumala Balaji Temple and many other temples in and around Tirupati. This board has started a new trust called Srivani Trust. Here, Srivani stands for Sri Venkateswara Aalaya Nirmana Trust. The purpose of this trust is to construct different temples in different villages, towns, and cities. In short, the key purpose is to promote Sanatana Dharma or Hinduism.
However, to achieve this mission, this trust expects some contributions from devotees as well. So, the TTD Board started to accept donations for the same. To help devotees contribute to this scheme, the board has started the VIP Break Darshan Scheme. The scheme also aims at getting rid of a huge number of middlemen between the pilgrims and VIP Darshan.
Accordingly, a person donating INR 10,000 or more in favour of the Srivani Trust can avail of the VIP Break Darshan. Once a person contributes this sum, he/she will get a recommendation stating his contribution. When this recommendation is submitted, the person will get to pay INR 500 to avail of the VIP Break Darshan the next day.
A family with not more than 9 people can avail of the VIP Break Darshan by spending INR 10,000. Also, they will have to pay INR 500 per person availing of the darshan.
Know about the Three Categories of VIP Darshan
The VIP Darshan has been classified by the TTD into three categories. They are L1, L2 and L3 VIP Break Darshan. You can know more about them here:
- The L1 category of VIP Darshan is available only for the leaders of top political groups. Also, civil servants, judges, ministers, and chief ministers can use this scheme. Along with these VIPs, TTD EO or TTD Board Member is supposed to accompany them.
- The L2 category VIP Darshan is restricted to TTD employees and visitors. These people should have recommendation letters from the dignitaries or ministers and VIPs.
- The L3 VIP Darshan is only open for devotees presenting recommendation letters. These letters should be from TTD Board members, local politicians, MLAs, MPs and VIPs mentioned in L1 and L2 above.
New Change in Timing
Until recently, the VIP Break darshan timing was 5.30 am. But, according to the new resolution made by the TTD Board, the darshan timing for this category is changed to 10 am. The purpose of this change is to enable devotees to reach Tirumala at the allocated time. Also, when the time of darshan is at 10 am, they can easily return soon after their darshan without any pressure from the accommodation wing.
Further, this change in timing will help devotees to book their accommodation at Tirupati. The reason is that they can quickly take a downhill after darshan at Tirumala.
When the VIP Break Darshan timing was at 5.30 am, pilgrims were forced to spend the previous night in Tirumala. Only then, they were able to reach the temple at 5.30 am. But, after the new 10 am darshan timing was implemented, TTD believes that it will bring a lot of respite to pilgrims.
How To Use the VIP Break Darshan?
In case, you wish to donate INR 10,000 towards the cause mentioned by TTD, you cannot do it online. You can visit the JEO Camp Office in Gokulam. This place is in Tirumala, where you can find a separate counter for this purpose.
Even though the online facility is not yet available for this scheme, the committee has plans to open the facility soon online. Once the online facility is open, you can donate INR 10,000 on a specific day. You have the liberty to take the darshan within 6 months of donating this money.
Benefits of VIP Break Darshan
- The queue for this darshan will be free and there will not be any pulling and pushing
- Theerthan and harathi will be given to pilgrims visiting the deity through this scheme
- Pilgrims visiting the lord in this scheme will get a chance to get close to the moola vigraham.
- Also, they can stay in front of the lord for sometime
- The darshan can be completed within 10-15 minutes without a long waiting time
- One hour time is allotted for this category of darshan
Is there Any Difference Between VIP Break Darshan and VIP Darshan?
Yes, there are differences between the two. The VIP Break Darshan is for all devotees contributing INR 10,000 to the Srivani Trust. But the VIP Darshan is for real VIPs. Some of these VIPs are political party leaders, state chief ministers, ministers, judges and civil servants. Also, VIP Darshan is provided for those carrying recommendation letters from VIPs and employees of Tirumala. These people need not have to pay INR 10,000.
How to Avail VIP Darshan with Recommendation Letters?
For the VIP Darshan, here is the procedure:
- The recommendation letters should be from TTD employees or higher cadre officers. The letter can be from Ministers, MPs, MLAs, and other such people.
- The letter should be addressed to the Joint Executive Officer or Executive Officer of TTD.
- Pilgrims should carry this letter to the JEO Camp Office.
- Along with this letter, the pilgrim should provide a photocopy of ID proof, an active mobile number, and fingerprints.
- The cut-off time to submit the recommendation letter to the JEO Camp office is 12 noon.
- Letters received before this time will be processed for the following day’s darshan.
- Let us consider that the office accepts the recommendation letter. If so, the office will send an SMS to the mobile number that the person submits at the time of submitting the letter.
- The next day, the person should carry this SMS along with photo ID proof at MBC 34.
- The tickets will be issued via the biometric system. So, tickets cannot be transferred to another person.
- Also, it is not possible to postpone, cancel or prepone the darshan timing. If you miss reaching the temple at the given time, you will have to apply afresh.