Grand procession marks Tirupati’s 896th birth anniversary

The citizens of Tirupati took out a grand procession across the old town area on Tuesday (February 24, 2026) to celebrate the 896th birth anniversary of the ancient city.

On this day, according to the Hindu almanac (corresponding to February 24) in the year 1130 CE, Sri Vaishnavite savant Bhagawad Ramanujacharya laid the foundation stone for the construction of the Sri Govindaraja Swamy temple, now located in the heart of the city. The day also marked the formation of the four Mada streets around the temple, which effectively signified the birth of the town of Tirupati.

Social activists and representatives of cultural and religious organisations such as ‘Rayalaseema Rangasthali’ joined the celebrations. Dressed up as mythological characters and historical personalities like saints Ramanuja, Tallapaka Annamacharya, and emperor Sri Krishna Devaraya, the artistes and citizens took out a grand procession across the arterial roads of the old town area, singing Kirtans and compositions in praise of Lord Venkateswara.

The artistes recalled the glory of Tirupati, a small hamlet then known as Govindarajapatnam, Ramanujapuram and scores of other names, and its growth during the reign of Yadavarayas and its evolution today into a world-famous spiritual centre.