Andhra Pradesh - Tirupati   

‘Tirumala temple ornaments genuine'

TIRUPATI: After gemmology experts and specialists team from the Government Mint, Hyderabad, it is the turn of the Income Tax value assessment experts from Hyderabad to vouch for the genuineness and quality of the gold and stone-studded ornaments, silver and golden puja materials being used in the hill temple of Lord Venkateswara.

More importantly, the team also certified that there was no replacement of the original ornaments and articles—one of the aspects on which the three wings of experts have looked into as part of a self-ordained enquiry instituted by the TTD for this purpose last year, in the wake of adverse media and opposition outcry over the safety and genuineness of the jewellery, precious and antiquated ornaments belonging to the hill temple of Lord Venkateswara.

According to Sathyanarayana Sarma, a key member of the I.T. Value Assessment panel, the team as part of its mission visited the temple as many as 16 times during the last one year or so and made in all physical verification of as many as 1,028 articles comprising--137 ornaments adorning the main deity, 82 adorning the processional deity, 444 silver articles and 365 other sundry articles used in the shrine during various daily rituals, fairs and festivals.

Inventory

It also cross checked the ornaments with the items listed in the various inventory registers and found everything ‘in order'.

Mr.Sathyanarayana, accompanied by another member of the team, Praveen Sarma on Wednesday submitted the ‘verification report' to the TTD's Joint Executive Officer (Tirumala), K. Bhaskar and the same is expected to be taken up for discussion at the next meeting of the TTD's Specified Authority for necessary follow-up.

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