Overview
- A video of a 116-year-old woman identified as Navaneethamma walking the Alipiri footpath to the Tirumala hill shrine went viral over the weekend and drew wide public attention.
- Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanam vigilance officers traced her to relatives' home in Jeevakona, Tirupati and, on Monday, arranged a special VIP 'break darshan' for her and her family.
- Temple staff helped her complete required biometric formalities, personally escorted her from the verification centre to the sanctum, and priests gave Vedic blessings while officials presented a silk vastram and prasadam.
- Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu posted praise on social media that amplified the clip and helped prompt a rapid institutional response from the TTD chairman and staff.
- The episode highlights the Alipiri route’s roughly 3,550 steps and the TTD’s crowd and verification systems at one of India’s busiest shrines, while the family said the visit fulfilled the centenarian’s lifelong wish.