VIJAYAWADA: The presentation of the silk clothes to Kanaka Durga ammavaru by the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) officials led by joint executive officer KS Srinivasa Raju is snowballing into a controversy.
The TTD officials presented the clothes on Sunday afternoon. This led to controversy as it was a tradition for the TTD officials to offer silk robes to the Goddess during the Dasara festival. The temple priests opined that it was not an ideal time to offer silk garments to Goddess Durga before the festival. A senior priest from the temple said that every year the officials offer it in the month of Aswayuja, but this year they offered the clothes in ‘Badrapada masam Mahalaya Paksham’, which is not an auspicious time to offer.
“As there was heavy influx of pilgrims to the temple last year, we were unable to allow the TTD officials for Antaralayam darshan on the Mulanakshatram day. This might have irked them, that is why they have come to present the robes ahead of the festival. But it is a wrong time. It was a shocking development to the temple authorities as well as to the priests. We are disappointed with this act of the TTD officials. We already had a discussion with the EO regarding this issue.” he added.
However, speaking to Express, EO V Trinadha Rao dismissed the charges and added that there was no controversy on the issue.