Tirumala (Andhra Pradesh): Pramoda Devi Wadiyar, member of the erstwhile Mysore royal family, has donated two giant silver lamps (Akhandams) to the Lord Venkateswara Temple in Tirumala. These traditional lamps, known as Akhandams, are kept perpetually lit inside the sanctum sanctorum.

She was accompanied by royal scion Yaduveer Krishnadatta Chamaraja Wadiyar, who is also the MP from Mysuru-Kodagu. The temple, dedicated to Lord Venkateswara — an incarnation of Lord Vishnu — is one of India’s most visited pilgrimage sites, drawing millions of devotees annually.

The Akhandams were formally handed over at the Ranganayakula Mandapam in the presence of Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) Chairman B.R. Nadiu and Additional Executive Officer Venkaiah Chowdary.

Speaking to the media outside the temple, Pramoda Devi said the donation continued a 300-year-old tradition initiated by the Mysore Maharajas.

“Around 300 years ago, the then Maharaja of Mysore donated traditional lamps that continue to be lit inside the sanctum sanctorum. Continuing this legacy, we have donated two large silver perpetual lamps, each weighing 50 kilograms. I feel blessed to have the opportunity to walk in the footsteps of my illustrious predecessors,” she said.