Centenarian woman walks to Tirumala for darshan: TTD

A 116-year-old devotee from Chennai, Navaneethamma, trekked to Tirumala on foot for darshan of Lord Venkateswara Swamy. Impressed by her devotion, the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams arranged special VIP darshan, while Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister praised her remarkable faith

Tirupati:  A “116-year-old” devotee of Sri Venkateswara Swamy, Chennai-based Navaneethamma visited Tirumala by foot to have darshan of the presiding deity, prompting TTD to make special arrangements for the old woman impressed by her faith, the temple body has said.

Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD), the official custodian of Sri Venkateswara Swamy temple in Tirupati said in a press release that it extended VIP break darshan for Navaneethamma and her family members on Monday. She is 116 years old, TTD said.

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“As per the directions of the chairman (TTD), a VIP break darshan was arranged for Navaneethamma and her family members on Monday morning. TTD personnel personally took her from the biometric centre for darshan,” it said.

According to TTD, a video of Navaneethamma walking for darshan went viral on social media, earning praise from several people, including Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu.

“Age is truly just a number when it comes go pure devotion! Absolutely awestruck by this 116-year-old grandmother who trekked all the way up to Tirumala on foot to have divine darshan of Lord Venkateswara Swamy,” said Naidu in a post on X.

Following Navaneethamma’s darshan, TTD executive officer M Ravi Chandra accompanied her to her receive Vedic blessings from priests and honoured her.