The annual Brahmotsavam at the Sri Govindaraja Swamy Temple in Tirupati, Andhra Pradesh, India, commenced with vibrant celebrations on Saturday. The festival began with the ‘Dhwajarohanam’ ritual, where priests hoisted the sacred ‘Dhwaja Patam’ atop the temple's flag post, accompanied by Vedic chants and traditional music. This ceremony took place between 7:35 a.m. and 8:49 a.m., a time considered auspicious according to the Hindu calendar. Following the flag hoisting, a procession featuring the yellow flag, which bears the imprint of Garuda, traversed the four mada streets surrounding the temple, symbolically inviting demi-gods and celestial beings to witness the festivities.

In the afternoon, the deities received a ‘Snapana Tirumanjanam’, a celestial bath using a blend of milk, curd, honey, coconut water, turmeric, and sandal paste. The evening activities included ‘Unjal Seva’, where the deities were gently rocked on a swing, and a procession on the ‘Pedda Sesha Vahanam’, representing a seven-hooded serpent. The Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) made extensive preparations for the festival, including elaborate lighting, floral decorations, and rangoli patterns along the streets, as well as setting up shelters to protect devotees from the summer heat.