The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh News : Minister orders reconstruction of Tirumala mandapam

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Jun 16, 2004

Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh

Minister orders reconstruction of Tirumala mandapam

By Our Special Correspondent

HYDERABAD, JUNE 15. The Government has ordered immediate reconstruction of "Veyi Kalla Mandapam" at the Tirumala temple which was demolished recently.

Disclosing this to reporters here this morning, the Endowments Minister, M. Satyanarayana Rao, said instructions were issued to the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) to ensure that the new mandapam was raised at the same place and with same design. The Minister, however, did want to blame the TTD for the demolition, saying some 50,000 pilgrims visit the hill-shrine daily and the demolition was part of the TTD efforts to provide more facilities to pilgrims.

On the tradition (sampradaya) being suggested for adoption, he said it was a religious matter and outside his domain. The newly-reconstituted TTD board would take care of these aspects.

Krishna pushkaram

Mr. Rao said he had asked Collectors of the five districts connected with the pushkarams to downsize the budget and limit the expenditure to actual needs of the pilgrims. During his tour of the districts, he came across a case in which construction of a 145-km road was proposed by a Collector as part of pushkaram works. What was required by pilgrims was small stretches leading them to temples and bathing ghats.

He said he called for reports from the Collectors indicating their works as per revised plans and the green signal would be given after a meeting of the Cabinet Sub-Committee in two to three days.

Appointment of EOs

The Endowments Minister said he was issuing orders for constituting temple committees immediately so that they would be ready by pushkaram time. Important temples such as Kanakadurga, Simhachalam, Yadagirigutta, Annavaram, Vemulawada, and Bhadrachalam lacked these bodies.

Mr. Rao also reviewed the arrangements being made for the Bonalu festival in Hyderabad with police and other officials. He disclosed that the Bonalu festival would start at Golconda on June 20, and in Secunderabad covering Ujjain Mahankali temple on July 4 and 5 and in Old City on July 11 and 12.

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