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Ticket price of pre-dawn sevas in Tirumala may be doubled

By Our Special Correspondent

TIRUMALA, MARCH 31. The ticket price of all the three most sought-after pre-dawn rituals in the temple of Lord Venkateswara is likely to be doubled. The TTD Trust Board which met at Tirumala today discussed the issue in detail and almost agreed in principle to increase the rates of all the three sevas, viz; Suprabhatam, Thomala Seva and Archana whose tickets are now priced at Rs.120, Rs.220 and Rs.220 each.

They are now proposed to he hiked to Rs.250 and Rs.450/- each. The TTD Trust Board Chairman, T. Subbarami Reddy, who briefed mediapersons after the meeting, however, said that the TTD would seek public opinion on its decision before enforcing the new rates.

Charge denied

On media reports that the TTD had diverted its funds to the private sector bank, ICICI, the Board Chairman maintained that the funds were diverted to the bank to help it mobilise the RBI bonds for the TTD. Denying that the TTD was showing out-of-the-way favour to private sector banks, he said that as the ICICI and the HDFC were the only two banks authorised to mobilise the RBI bonds, the TTD had no option but to approach one of the two for the bonds.

"We are in fact averse to investing our funds in the private sector banks, Reddy said. Mr Reddy also strongly defended the Government's reported direction to the TTD to provide Rs.30 crores for the Veterinary University coming up in Tirupati. What is wrong in it so long as it is for the cause of education, Mr Reddy shot back at mediapersons.

On the contentious Mahaprakaram issue, he said the Board was yet to study the 250-page report submitted to the Government by the PVRK Prasad Committee and pointed out that it would decide on the future course of action only after an in-depth discussion with the Chief Minister and other Cabinet members.

Experiment to stay

The Maha Laghu Darshanam, which was introduced only as an experiment in the Tirumala temple last week, to meet the unprecedented rush, which made the waiting time surge beyond 60 to 70 hours, looks set to stay permanently in the temple practices. "We will resort to it on all peak rush days," said the Board Chairman. Under the Maha Laghu system, pilgrims are allowed to have a glimpse of the main deity only from a distance of about 40-50 feet against the present system of worshipping from a distance of 20 ft.

Huge park

The Chairman said that the TTD would set up a massive `spiritual park' on a 27-acre site at Tirupati with a financial outlay of Rs.53 crores. "No TTD funds would be used for the project as we will go all out to mobilise funds from philanthropists and charitable trusts," Mr Reddy said.

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