VISAKHAPATNAM: The Sri Venkateswara Swamy temple built by Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams on a sprawling 10 acre site atop a hill at Vizag’s Rushikonda will be thrown open to the public from August 13. Purnahuti will be performed on August 12 and devotees will be allowed for darshan after its likely inauguration by Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy.
Construction of the Rs 25 crore temple began in 2018 on the hill between Gayatri and GITAM colleges. The temple is a near replica of the Tirumala temple. The idol of Anjaneya Swamy along with mini temples of Bhudevi and Sri Devi are also ready. Srivari padalu, revered by devotees the most, and other spiritual sculptures were made at TTD’s SV Institute of Traditional Sculpture and Architecture.
The temple has a prayer hall with the capacity to accommodate 150 people, a function hall for conducting marriages with dining space and facility for devotees to take rest. A special counter will be set up at the entrance for issuing tickets and also there will be a separate counter for prasadam sale. A 500 metre ghat road was laid so that the vehicles can reach the hilltop with ease. Two priests have been appointed by TTD for conducting the daily rituals and they will be provided accommodation at the hilltop.
Meanwhile, all arrangements have been made for the consecration of the temple. The six-day vedic rituals will start with ankurarpanam on Sunday. The idol of Sri Venkateswara Swamy will be installed amid special rituals by vedic pundits and priests on August 11. The rituals will conclude with maha smaprokshana at 9.45 am on August 13. Arrangements are made keeping in view of the CM’s visit.