Teppotsavam or Float Festival (Teppotsavam) is also called as Float Festival in Tirumala. This festival is celebrated every year during Phalguna Pournami on the grand scale in Swami Pushkarini for five days in March (Chaitra). Thousands of Devotes have arrived on the holy steps of the temple tank in advance to enjoy this colourful festival. While temple priests recited Holy Scriptures Asthana Vidwans played a nadaswaram. The total program is processed for more than one hour.
Teppotsavam or Float Festival Significance:
This festival is celebrated for 5 days and the deities take around the four Mada streets and encircle the holy shrine in the grand before reaching the Temple tank or Srivari Pushkarani. The idols are decorated with colourful flowers on the illuminated floating boat.
- On the first day: Lord Sri Rama, Sita, Lakshmana, and Anjaneya take three rounds around the Pushkarani teertha in well decorated colourful float
- On the Second day: Lord Sri Krishna and Goddess Rukmini Devi are taken three rounds to give Darshanam to myriads of devotees
- On the third, fourth and fifth days: Lord Sri Malayappa along with the Goddess Sridevi and Goddess Bhu Devi seated the float and went all sides round of the temple tank for at least three to seven rounds.
- In 1468 AD year says that Sriman Maha Mandaleswara Medina Misraganda Saluva Narashimha Raju, the son of Saluva Gundaya Deva Maha raja Udayar built this Vasanta Mandapam in the middle of the Pushkarani teertha.
- This is the Mandapam where the Teppotsavam starts. In the olden days, this Teppotsavam was celebrated for nine days. Now, this is observed for the 5 days for Ekadasi also concluding Pournami.
- This floating festival is the Arjita Seva and the devotes can purchase the tickets if they want to this colourful float boat along with Lord Srinivasa and his wives.
- After completing this festival ticket holders have the special Darshanam of Mula Virat inside of the Tirumala temple.