TIRUMALA: There will not be any structural changes to the world-famous Sri Venkateswara temple on Tirumala, Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) executive officer IYR Krishna Rao has said.
Talking with Express here today, he said, “It is a very ancient temple. We have no authority to to demolish, remove or make structural changes to ancient structures. We should not even think of removing a single stone of the sacred hill temple of Tirumala. Moreover, we should preserve this ancient temple for the future generations,” he clarified.
On the feasibility of installing a ‘Moving Carpet’ as an answer to the ‘uncivilised’ queue line in the sanctum sanctorum, Krishna Rao said a closed-door meeting would be held with the engineers and temple staff and a sketch would be drawn before December 15. If possible, the moving carpet would start its trial run by the end of March next year.
“Another major proposal to introduce ‘Universal Sudarshan’, which is conceptually brilliant, is under study. This also needed to be discussed threadbare.’’ On the Laghu and Maha Laghu Darshans, the executive officer said that the joint executive officer (Tirumala) and the deputy executive officer (TTD) would personally monitor them and instructions in this regard were circulated.
“Thanks to Lord Venkateswara there is no fund problem for the TTD and no one need bother about the finances for taking up any new programme or work,’’ Rao said.
About the suggestions that came up during the two-day national seminar for making certain structural changes to the temple for facilitating quicker darshan and movement of devotees inside the temple, the executive officer said the TTD succeeded in presenting its constraints and problems to the public and enlighten them on the circumstances in which the TTD was working.
Specified Authority chairman J Satyanarayana, in his address to the co-ordination committee meeting, announced that the TTD would be equipped with the state-of-art IT- based dynamic reality system’, an exclusive system of the TTD which would be part of ‘Sri Seva’. It will come into existence before March and its efficacy and utility will be known by August. “The TTD is keen to send each and every pilgrim back home completely satisfied,’’ he said and called for a change in the mindset of every employee.
The suggestions made by experts and people at the seminar will be studied within three months and action will be initiated in all possible cases in six months. TTDofficials drafted a report based on the media session and Agama Sadassu, Satyanarayana said.
Joint executive officer (Tirumala) Bhaskar said the suggestions made during the media session were radical in nature. “The suggestion on Moving Carpet’ is good while there was a mixed response to the proposal to remove the existing structure. There was unanimity on the call for halting further constructions on Tirumala. It was also suggested that the TTD keep an eye on revenue matters, develop a good environment, develop an exclusive system like GPA, send information through SMS,’’ Bhaskar said, adding that it was also felt that there was a need to have a national-level debate with Agama pandits before taking up radical changes like removal of some portion of the temple structure.