Huge footfall on ‘Mahalaya Amavasya’ at Kapila Theertham in Tirupati

Devotees in large numbers gathered at the Kapila Theertham waterfalls for the auspicious “Mahalaya Amavasya” on Sunday (September 21, 2025) triggering safety and security concerns at the famed shrine located at the foot of Tirumala hills.

“Mahalaya Amavasya” is an annual event where the devout perform sacred rituals to pay tributes to the departed souls. It is normally done on the steps leading to the tank or the waterfall inside the Kapila Theertham compound. However, the sudden inflow of rush into the complex caught the security personnel unaware, leading to pushing and jostling.

The TTD authorities had not made any special arrangements for the day, as it is not a temple-related event, and did not anticipate the heavy footfall.

As the crowd surge increased, the devotees struggled to move around as the entry and exit routes were packed. The absence of a parking lot at Kapila Theertham turned out to be a conspicuous lacuna, with hundreds of vehicles parked in a haphazard manner, blocking the smooth traffic flow.

Superintendent of Police L. Subbarayudu rushed to the spot to monitor the situation. He dismissed social media reports of ‘yet another stampede’ in Tirupati and appealed to the public to to believe rumours. The police monitored the crowd by deploying additional manpower and through drones.