Fervour marked the Bagh Savari festival observed at the Tirumala temple on Saturday evening. The festival which would be observed on the immediate day after the conclusion of the nine-day Brahmotsavam has great significance.
According to temple legends, Lord Venkateswara and Goddess Padmavathi in the guise of ordinary humans destroy the flower gardens grown up by Ananthalwar, a great devotee of Lord only to testify his dedicated devotion.
In a bid to catch-hold of the divine “Human Couple”, Ananthalwar succeeds in tying up Goddess to an Aswatha tree (Peepal tree) in his garden while the Lord escapes from his clutches running anti-clock wise. Later, Ananthalwar realises his mistake and carries the Goddess in a floral basket to the Srivari temple and rejoins her with the Lord.
To mark this unique event of anti-clock wise running of Lord, this festival is believed to be conducted in an anti-clock wise manner. In connection with the festival, the processional deities of Lord Malayappa Swamy and his two consorts were taken around in a procession from the main temple to the Ananthalwar gardens situated on the south-west corner of the temple complex.
After observing certain religious formalities at the gardens, the deities were again taken back to the main temple. The TTD officials, priests and Jeeyar Swamys and scores of devotees and locals took part in the festival on Saturday evening.