Tirumala 06/10/16:
while you are on your journey to reach the lord Venkateswara Swamy either by the stair path or by road, you will have a glimpse of peaceful nature and some wild life. Other than these you will also find symbols that are the weapons of the lord namely the shanku and the chakra on your way. You can also see the traditional thirunamam on your way.
Thirunamam is usually a camphor patch that is completely white and the middle of it is the red line made of sindhur and it can be seen on the way. There is a specific relation between this and tirumala and even the Lord Balaji, another name of the lord Venkateswara Swamy . The thirunamam simply reminds about tirumala and tirupati and also the lord. This thirunamam is considered as the mark of synonym to the Lord and the hill.
Imortance of Thirunamam:
The tirunamam represents a flame of fire on a light. This is an indication of the soul also called as the ATMA. This thirunamam is usually worn on the right and left sides of the arm and under the chest and on the back bone and near the navel and behind the navel on the back, other than applying on the fore head. There are few other names of this thirunamam and they are called as Tottu Namam and also called as Thiruman.
The executive officer of TTD Dr D Sambasiva Rao appealed every one of the management and the staff and also the devotees to put this thirunamam wherever it is suggested or on the fore head and promote a spiritual feel and promote the veneration for sri Lord Venkateswara with a whole hearted devotion and love towards to the god. All the devotees who are visiting this Vaishnavite shrine are appealed to wear this to inspire the others to promote the veneration for the lord.
The management of TTD already banned all the western clothing into the temple for arjitha sevas and other sevas like Rs.300 darshanams. They mandated wearing only traditional clothes like the Dhoti and saree and Punjabi dresses only. They were successful in this and now they want people to put this thirunamam also. This is not a compulsion but the aim is to enhance the spirituality and the devotion towards the Lord Venkateswara as the devotees come to get the blessings of the lord.
There is another fact about this Thirunamam and it is representing the sacred name of the God. In this word thirunamam, the word thiru is usually the god and the word namam represents the clay that is white and extracted from the deeper layers of the earth. This white clay is used in the form of powder and worn in the shape of flame.
The people of Ayyavazhi used to wear this namam which starts between the eyebrows and reaches the top of the fore head in a straight line. The deputy officer of Srivari Temple Sri Kodandarama Rao said that this Namam will define us to be the beloved servants of the Lord Sri Venkateswara.
Thirunamam Every Where in Tirumala:
The management of TTD has made all the arrangements to promote the thirunamam. They have provided the tools that are required for the thirunamam. These facilities are provided near the guest houses and the offices of TTD and in the vaikuntham queue complexes and in the seeghra darsanam complex and in other places like the Anna prasadam complex and the counters for laddus and in the kalyana katta area. The remaining places are around the temple and also in the sub temples.
Pious Services to Pilgrims
All the volunteers and the sri vari sevakulu are all ready to help the pilgrims and co operate with the police and the office staff of TTD also. We are all very happy and are lucky to become a part in this holy fete of Sri Lord venkateswara and also in the sanctity of Hinduism. Many donors are donating the thirunamam mudras to the TTD and one among them is Sri Mahalingam one of the sri vari sevaka from Salem, Tamil Nadu. He said that he has donated some on the mudras for thirunamam to serve in this fete and he thanked the management of TTD in providing him the opportunity to serve the lord.
Thirunamaadharana our bond with the Pilgrims
To protect the law and to avoid any crime and to help the pilgrims coming from different places the police department has dispatched its battalions to the hill. They are completely involved in the service of the god and this can be known on seeing their heads decorated with the thirunamam and they are all very happy to see that. As a part of the service one of the police man from the battalion said that he is happy to join in the sri vari sevakas and when we are wearing this thirunamam we are not only awakening our inner senses with complete devotion but also helps us in making a devotional bond between the lord and also with the pilgrims and in helping them to reach their destinations. We have come across many pilgrims from different parts of the nation and all are happy to see the sacred namam worn by us” said in Glee.