Navaneethamma, a 116-year-old devotee from Tamil Nadu, received a special VIP break darshan at the Tirumala Venkateswara Temple on Monday, 7 July 2025, after she scaled the Alipiri footpath — a gruelling 3,550-step trek through the Seshachalam hills — entirely on foot. The Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanam (TTD) arranged the honour after a video of her trekking the route went viral on social media, drawing widespread admiration across the country.

The Darshan and Felicitation

At Ranganayakula Mandapam, TTD Executive Officer Muddada Ravichandra presided over a formal felicitation in which Vedic scholars performed sacred blessings for Navaneethamma. She was draped with a silk cloth and offered sacred prasadam. Ravichandra also paid personal obeisance to the centenarian and received her blessings.

Her grandson, Dikpati, expressed gratitude to TTD for fulfilling his grandmother's lifelong wish and for extending the darshan privilege to all accompanying family members.

How TTD Identified and Responded

TTD Chairman B.R. Naidu said the institution's swift response was made possible by vigilant social media networks and the TTD Vigilance wing. After the video surfaced on Saturday, Naidu publicly appealed for help identifying the elderly devotee. TTD Vigilance officers located and confirmed her details promptly, enabling the special darshan to be arranged the following Monday.

Naidu credited his social media contacts for amplifying the appeal and thanked the Vigilance officers for their rapid response. 'This occasion of fulfilling the lifelong wish of a devotee has brought immense joy and satisfaction to all of us,' he said.

Andhra Pradesh CM Chandrababu Naidu's Tribute

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu posted on social media on Sunday, expressing awe at Navaneethamma's feat. 'Age is truly just a number when it comes to pure devotion,' he wrote, drawing wide attention to her story before TTD had formally identified her.

The Chief Minister's post further amplified the viral video, helping accelerate the identification process and the TTD's subsequent arrangements.

The Alipiri Trek and Its Significance

The Alipiri footpath is one of the most physically demanding pilgrimage routes in India, comprising approximately 3,550 steps that wind through the forested Seshachalam hills in Andhra Pradesh. Completing the climb on foot is considered an act of supreme devotion even for able-bodied pilgrims. That a 116-year-old completed it unaided has been described by observers as extraordinary. Notably, Tirumala receives tens of thousands of pilgrims daily, yet such an instance of a supercentenarian completing the trek on foot is exceedingly rare.

What Comes Next

TTD officials have not announced any further formal recognition, but the episode has reignited public conversation about accessibility and special provisions for elderly and differently-abled pilgrims at Tirumala. The TTD chairman's swift action is being viewed as a model of institutional responsiveness, and the story is likely to remain a touchstone in discussions about devotion and elder care at one of the world's most-visited religious sites.