VIJAYAWADA: A day after taking oath, Endowments Minister Vellampalli Srinivas on Sunday said he was mulling reinvestigation into the allegations of ‘tantric pujas’ at Kanaka Durga temple in 2017. He added he would take a final call after examining reports by two separate committees – one formed by the Endowments Department and another by temple authorities to probe the issue.
It might be recalled that allegations were made that ‘Bhairavi puja’, a tantric ritual, was performed in the sanctum sanctorum of Kanaka Durga temple atop Indrakeeladri in Vijayawada late on December 26, 2017 night, triggering outrage across the State.
However, the temple authorities had maintained that they performed a ritual to cleanse the sanctum sanctorum amid chanting of vedic hymns, which was a monthly affair. The then endowment minister, P Manikyala Rao, had clarified that there was no such scope for performing tantric rituals, which would violate the Smarthagnam procedure followed in the temple.
Contrary to the claims and clarifications, CCTV footage showed that the temple priests had decked up the presiding deity as Goddess Kali, who performed Bhairavi puja for more than two hours and even offered ‘Kadamba’ prasadam to the Goddess.
Following sharp criticism from various Hindu organisations and the YSRC, Manikyala Rao ordered a detailed enquiry into the issue and appointed a fact-finding committee, led by endowments additional commissioner M Raghunath, to ascertain the facts.
During their visit, the committee members questioned around 40 employees, recorded statements of temple head priest Badrinath Babu and a few others, and examined CCTV footage. In its report submitted to the government, the fact-finding committee said there was no scope for tantric rituals at the sanctum sanctorum of the temple.
Meanwhile, the devasthanam also constituted an internal committee to look into the issue. A staffer, on the condition of anonymity, told TNIE that Badrinath Babu has since been transferred to an adopted temple.
At the time, Vellampalli Srinivas, who hails from Vijayawada, took the issue seriously and led several agitations, along with Hindu organisations, demanding action against those involved in the pujas.
The minister added: “A review meeting will be convened with Durga temple officials to take stock of the progress made in various development activities being executed in and around Indrakeeladri. After examining the works, a deadline will be fixed for them. Steps will be taken to increase the temple’s capital fund.’’
Measures would be taken to reconstruct the temples demolished for Krishna Pushkaralu in August 2016. When contacted, temple executive officer V Koteswaramma said she was unaware of the issue as she was not at the helm of affairs back then.
Commenting on the statements made by the endowments minister over the issue, the EO said officials, who were at the know how of things, would be asked to accompany her to the meeting to be convened by the minister.