TIRUPATI: The Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) is planning to shift the traditional gold-mint from Tirupati to Tirumala. This step is to enable the TTD to take up the Rs 1,000 crore worth gold covering work of the Ananda Nilayam apart from establishing a training school to study designing of gold ornaments.
This step follows the decision to cover all sub-temples inside the Srivari temple with gold plates, including all the walls around the garbhalaya (sanctum sanctorum).
“The management is planning to relocate the Parakamani (Hundi collection counting place) and modifying the Bokkasam office from the main temple. Further all the pillars of the mandapam of Sampangi Prakaram are to be covered with gold plates,” Chairman of the TTD Trust Board DK Adikesavulu Naidu told to The New Indian Express .
“The entire work is to be taken up from donations from individual devotees, each donor will be allotted areas like pillars, gopurams and mandapams, the donations can not be measured in kgs of gold,” the Chairman replied answering a question on how many kgs of gold were received so far from the donors.
Till date 55 kgs gold has been donated for on going project under ‘Anantha Swarnamayam’ scheme. The scheme plans to cover all the inside area of Sampangi Prakaram with gold plates, he added. The scheme is in addition to the ‘Ananda Nilaya Anantha Swarnamayam’, he clarified.
Further, the State Government has instructed all the temples in the State, under the Endowments Department, to consult the TTD for buying gold and or gold ornaments or taking up gold covering works, among others. Following the directive, the Sri Kanakadurga Devasthanam, Vijayawada, Srisailam Devasthanams and Srikalahasti Temple Devasthanam have contacted the TTD for the gold malam works and also for buying diamond studded crown for the temple.
The jewellery section of the TTD has already proven its capability in the gold covering works of the gopuram of the Vijayawada Kanakadurga temple.
The TTD administration was finalising the tenders for taking up the work of gold covering under ‘Ananda Nilaya Anantha Swarnamayam’ scheme from March 6.
“Two bidders have been shortlisted and a committee constituted to measure their quality of work," said Executive Officer KV Ramanachary, adding that the gold malam works will be taken up at the TTD Museum premises on Tirumala and the security for the building has been adequately strengthened
