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Lord Malayappa Swamy processes on celestial vahanams at Tirumala festival

The presiding deity of the Tirumala Venkateswara Temple was taken in procession on elaborate chariots during the seventh day of the annual Brahmotsavams festival. The celestial vahanams featured intricate designs reflecting Hindu cosmology and traditional craftsmanship.

LSN India · 21 September 2026

Lord Malayappa Swamy processes on celestial vahanams at Tirumala festival

Lord Malayappa Swamy, the principal deity of the Tirumala Venkateswara Temple in Andhra Pradesh, was paraded through the temple grounds on the Surya Prabha and Chandra Prabha vahanams during the seventh day of the Brahmotsavams celebrations. The festival, one of the most significant observances in the Hindu calendar, attracts thousands of devotees each year.

The Surya Prabha and Chandra Prabha vahanams, or processional chariots, are ornately crafted vehicles designed to represent the sun and moon respectively. These chariots are integral to the Brahmotsavams ritual calendar, with each day of the ten-day festival featuring different vahanams and ceremonies.

The procession showcased the temple's rich heritage of traditional craftsmanship and religious observance. Temple authorities and devotees gathered to witness the ceremonial movement of the deity, which forms a central component of the Brahmotsavams celebrations held annually at Tirumala.

The Tirumala Venkateswara Temple, situated in the Eastern Ghats, remains one of India's most visited and economically significant pilgrimage sites. The Brahmotsavams festival continues to draw both domestic and international pilgrims seeking spiritual merit and cultural connection to centuries-old Hindu traditions.