TIRUMALA: A new seva—Navaneetha Seva— will be started at Lord Venkateswara temple in Tirumala on Monday, on the occasion of Gokulashtami. The butter extracted from desi cow milk in a traditional manner will be used in daily rituals and Naivedyam of the Lord.
The TTD has made arrangements for celebrating Gokulashtami at SV Goshala in Tirumala on Monday evening. Navaneetha Seva will also be introduced on the occasion. Already a trial run of the new seva was held from August 25. TTD chairperson YV Subba Reddy, Executive Officer Dr KS Jawahar Reddy, Additional EO AV Dharma Reddy and others will participate.
The objective is to protect and promote desi cow breeds and to involve more philanthropists in this ‘Goseva’. Besides, Goadharita Naivedyam to Srivaru and promotion of organic farming with cow products (Panchagavya) are two other objectives. As part of the seva, participants will draw milk from desi cows, churn curd and produce ghee with butter in a traditional manner at SV Goshala and take the dairy products in a procession to Sri Venkateswara temple to offer Naivedyam to the Lord.
The TTD has bought 25 Gir cows from Gujarat and they are now housed at the SV Goshala for the purpose. Specially made clay pots, decorated with Gujarati traditional designs, will be used for carrying milk, butter and ghee to the temple, where they will be handed over to the archakas.
For preparation of Naivedyam of the Lord, 30 kg of cow ghee is required daily, and to prepare it, 1,200 litres of milk is needed. In this regard, 300 desi cows, including seven indigenous and three local breeds, will be kept in Tirumala for the new seva.
35 electric vehicles
The Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) will also hand over 35 electric vehicles (cars) to its senior officers on Monday, as part of the first phase of its ‘Go Green’ initiative. In the second phase, another 32 EVs will be procured. The Devasthanam has already signed an agreement with PSU Energy Efficiency Service Limited (EESL). It will be paying Rs 33,600 per vehicle per month for a period of five years. After five years, these vehicles will be owned by the TTD.
The electric vehicles can be fully charged in 90 minutes and each full charge will consume 30 units at Rs 6.70 per unit. The cost per kilometre comes to around 80 paise. The APSRTC is also contemplating to introduce 12 electric buses on Tirumala ghat section before commencement of the annual Brahmotsavams in October.