The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh News : Maha mandapam outside temple opposed

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Apr 06, 2005

Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh

Maha mandapam outside temple opposed

By Our Staff Reporter

TIRUMALA, APRIL 5. The pontiff of the Visakha Sarada Peetham, Sri Swaroopanandendra Saraswathi, on Tuesday differed with the report of the three-member committee constituted by the State Government to study the reconstruction of the thousand-pillar mandapam and implementation of the master plan at Tirumala.

He said it was heartening that the committee had endorsed construction of the mandapam at some convenient place but its recommendation for construction of maha mandapam outside the main temple complex, in which the temple kitchen (potu) and the kalyanotsava mandapam could be accommodated, had no sanction of the Agama Sastras.

The Swamiji said he wondered how the kalyanotsava mandapam and the temple kitchen could be shifted out of the main temple complex without the construction of another prakaram.

Unless the proposed maha prakaram was constructed, Kalyanotsavam should not be moved into the proposed maha mandapam.

During kalyanotsavam, homam was performed and the "sacred fire" could not be brought out of the existing temple complex unless an additional precinct was built.

Women barbers

In reply to a question, the Swamiji said women barbers should not be recruited at the Kalyanakatta.

He said firewood could be used in preparation of "naivedyam" to the main deity. Others, particularly laddus, could be prepared on gas stove.

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Andhra Pradesh