Andhra Pradesh - Hyderabad   

Golden `gopurams' for Srisailam temple

M. Malleswara Rao

SET FOR NEW LOOK: A view of the Srisailam temple complex.

HYDERABAD: The `gopurams' of Srisailam temple will shortly glitter like that on Tirumala Hills.

The high-rise structures over the sanctum sanctorum of presiding deity Lord Mallikarjuna and His consort, Brahmaramba, are being provided with gold cover, a distinction now enjoyed only by the Tirumala temple in the country.

The Srisailam Devasthanams has placed orders to procure 179 kg of gold to cover the gopurams . As the job, taken up at a cost of Rs. 11.8 crores, needs to be handled by skilled artisans amidst tight security, it has been handed over to Akhila, jewellery wing of the TTD.

The gopuram of Lord Mallikarjuna is expected to be ready by December and that of Brahmaramba by February. "The gopurams are going to be yet another attraction of the hill-shrine nestled in Nallamala forest, says Devasthanams Chairman Pesala Srinivasulu. Pilgrim flow to Srisailam has been high, next only to Tirumala. A slew of measures have been initiated to streamline the shrine's administration and mobilise funds for amenities.

Income

The income out of `talaneelalu' went up to Rs. 38.7 lakhs as against Rs. 18 lakhs last year by a switchover to open bidding, and the figure this year is set to touch the Rs. 2-crore mark. Laddu counters have been increased to from 4 to 10 and darshan queues to four. Mobile counters have also been opened for laddu sale. Open auctioning also replaced contracts awarded to HACA to supply laddus and coconuts, ensuring a 40-paise profit on each laddu (as against 37 paise loss earlier) and reducing coconut price to Rs. 4.11 from Rs. 6.9. The Devasthanam is also poised to get Rs. 3 lakhs additional income out of rents from its 18 shops near the temple.

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