Impending ASI take over of Tirumala & other temples under TTD?
Read in news paper that ASI has been directed by the govt to examine all temples under TTD and submit report on the state of monuments in Tirumala & other temples in Tirupathi. acting upon a petition ∓; RTI enquiry filed by a person objecting to a 100 year old mantap demolished for widening &; security purposes by the TTd several years back .Further that ASI may in all probability take over Tirumala temple and trim down the decision making powers of TTD.
I have been visiting Tirumala temple since my childhood viz 1960's .nearly every year.My family had no difficulty in getting a quick darshan as a single call or a letter from my grand father would ensure it . . When we used to visit the smaller sannidhis like that of SriVarahar near the Srinivasar temple i remember having to close my nose at the stench arising from filth and human excreta strewn on the sides of Srinivasar temple .Simply put it was incredibily dirty all along the compound wall of this sacred & hoary temple.
Villagers from hamlets beyond Tirupathi would come in large groups ,carrying rations and climb up the hill on the steps as they could not afford the bus fare They would camp on the open grounds near the temple bathe in the Pushkarni -the temple pond in which we all avoided taking a bath as its waters were so dirty& contaminated that dip would cause cholera .The villagers bathed in this pushkarni .They also cooked food nearby &; also defecated near the temple.Not only villagers who defecated but also urban pilgrims did as there was no free toilet facility .Many pilgrims would wait for days together in sarava darshan queue when darshan was blocked for the sake of some VIP or the other attending the pujas or for other reasons .When rations and time run out these pilgrims would leave after paying thier obseince at the gate itself and go down .
Lord Venkateswara /Srinivasar was always respeledent within ,but outside the temple it was dirty and cramped .It was during NTR's period that a lot of pilgrim friendly changes were brought about .
First the areas sorrounding the temple were cleaned .It was done constantly.Several free toilets & , bathrooms were built .
Second a queue complex outside the temple was built ensuring darshan to all .In this complex food was available.It also has toilet facilities.In the waiting period which would be any where between four and 12 hours the pilgrims could eat and use the toilet in those days viz minimum 4 hours for 50 rs ticket &;; minimum 8 hours for free darshan.After the demise of my grand father our VIP entrance wasnot available and we had to wait in the queue complex for five hours along with our children from 1980's onwards to get a glimpse of Srinivasar.and had to endure the mad rush of frenzied crowds near the sanctum like any other person.
The hills were shorn of thier green cover in 60's and the rocky hills would radiate heat all over .It looked dry even in 7o's and would prick the eyes with its brittleness In 80's all the hills became wrapped in green colour owing to afforestation undertaken by TTD .Now the multitude of flower bearing trees and plants are a pleasing treat to the eyes .It reminds me of the time when early aazhwars in 5 th cent AD would climb the hills marveling at its thick cover of forest , the tribes and the tribes action with wild animals and wild animals devotion to venkateswara.They have expressed all this in poetic devotional hymns.
TTD improves and increase its facilities.I see this in each year i visit .First and foremost the entire Tirumala which has nearly 50,000 pilgrims passing it each day is spick and span.The pushkarni was dredged , cleaned and rebuilt in 90's.,Its waters are now crystal clear and transparent blue inviting me to o take a dip in it. Third the frequency of buses to &; fro to Tirumala from Tirupathi increased in 90 '.thus stopping the mad rush for buses by anxious pilgrims and is increasing each year ever since.This increase in transport was in tune with increasing affordability of all sections of society from 90's onwards.and thier eagerness to worship Srinivasar in his sacred premises amidst seven hills . The tickets are nominal.
Free lunch &;; dinner, free medical services , free chilled drinking water , free transport within Tirumala & host of other pilgrim friendly measures like separate queue for senior citizens, handicapped, and parents with infants is also provided .
In 2000 all the stalls , dilapidated houses &;; mutts which were all encroaching upon the circumbulatory passage restricting free movement of processional deity, in vahanas and chariot were removed and the passage was widened and steps were built all along the side of the circumbulatory passage so as to provide seats for thousands of pilgrims who throng the hills during the annual Bramho utsavam in September.. The belief is that if one witnesses the Garuda vahana seva of processional deity of Lord Srinivasa during Bramho utsavam then one is one step nearer to Moksham .The clearing of encroachments has also given the much needed space for pilgrims visiting the temple every day in 1000's to sit and relax after the darshan in front of the temple or in its sides..
I remember climbing these hills 25years back .My head was spinning at the steep steps of 1500-2000 or more that had no railing not even a rope for support.It was litrelly like rock climbing .Unnerved by this dizzy climbing I remember dropping a card on my return to TTd asking them to erect railings at least near those steep steps.Few years later i observed that railings were erected all along the route as well as shade over the steps to protect pilgrims from heat and rain .Maybe TTd did act on my heart felt suggestion .
Now Tirumala is a scenic cum religious spot.It is so clean and full of shady trees and flowers and the air pure and crisp and cool that it transports one to Indra loka.
Of late i am seeing nearly all the utsavams [temple festivals] broad cast in TTD 's tv channel.The processional deities in all the temples are dressed in gorgeous silk and zari and tastefully adorned with gold , diamond and precious gems.Ofcourse Malayappa swami --processional deity of Lord Srinivasa tops the chart.His jewels are numerous and splendid.His weapons--Shanku chakram are either cased in gold or in diamonds .He himself has gold cover for his entire panchaloka moorthy.so do his two consorts.Gold vessels &; laddles & pots ,huge and small are used for his abhishekam His aarti is taken on a gold plate.He thus shimmers in a golden haze dazzling one with his ethreal beauty.
The flower and fruit arrangments in all these utsavams be it the garland adorning the deities or the pandal is simply breath taking .I am sure designer florists are employed to bring out such aesthetic effect .
All this shows that TTD is not tight fisted in either providing amenities to pilgrims or in decorating the moorthy's-- idols.They are spending handsomely from the earnings which is from --Hundi collection which are the offerings in cash & kind from devotees.
TTD may not be quick in executing schemes such as these .But they do seem to be sensitive to the needs of pilgrims and are constantly improving and are doing a fine job.
I donot hold a brief for TTD .Nor do i have any connections with it.so why am i singing its peans?Simple. I donot want the ASI to take over the administration of Tirumala temple.
I have visited temples taken over by ASI .Neat and green lawns will be laid at front of the temple with a blue board stuck in the middle saying that the temple is under ASI and therefore no one should touch any part of it without its permission .if any one does he will be punished .A warning which litrelly says -Keep off this temple.So i would enter such temples with trepidition There would hardly be any worship of the deity in those temples which are declared to be under ASI .It would be like tomb .A forgotten and forlorn place visited by more of bats than humans.For example Vaikunthanathar temple at Kanchipuram,rock temples of,Mahabalipuram and, Thirumaiyum temple .But these temples have beautiful and unique sculptures which may required to be preserved for posterity.All sculptures in such temples glow with some special chemical treatment.There wont be even a small dot of haldi or kumkum on these figures .This glazed look makes them fit to be viewed as artefacts in a museum and not as part and parcel of a vibrant temple .Such temples are very camera friendly .
The Tirumala temple is a small temple and hardly has any sculptures that are unique or noteworthy.They are just like those found in any other Vishnu temple.There is nothing extraordinary about them .The only noteworthy feature of Tirumala temple is Srinivasar himself .He is seven to eight feet tall ,standing straight and brightly black, decked in innumerable ornaments and flower garlands and radiating his spiritual powers all around with the palm of his hands and with his majestic presence.He seems to be well taken care of.
Pilgrims and devotees donot visit Tirumala to view old monuments and sculptures.They are all drawn to Tirumala by their immense belief in the power of Lord Venkateswara/Srinivasar to grant them boons or to remove their misery or to solve their problems or to make them wealthy.He is the only ancient monument in those hills .He is the monumental attraction.
ASI usually spruces up the place sorrounding the temple and lays down lush lawns.This is already done efficiently by TTD .So what role can ASI play here except that of a spoil sport,I hope that this department of the govt keeps its hands off Tirumala temple as well as all those temples managed by TTD expertly.
According to Sri vaishnavaites one of the most important quality of Sriman narayana is his easy accessibility.It is for this reason that he takes avatars and allows himself to be enshrined or he himself rises in archa--moorthy form so that his devotees can be near him and enjoy his beautiful form and benifit from his various auspicious qualities.Hence all devotees should feel that they have a free access to their beloved deity at Tirumala without any fetters in form of governmental warnings.
Srinivasar of Tirumala is inclusive by all means .This example for this inclusivity was set by SRI Ramanujar in 12 th cent AD owing to his magnamity.At that time he was weilding tremendous influence over all and his word was law even to rulers yet he was generous enough to allow those who had persecuted him [saivaites] in previous years to have a say in the rituals of this sacred temple. All the other inclusivity viz giving a say to all sub sects & and castes in the temple rituals evolved over the centuries after the warring parties resolved it on their own with rulers who have made tremendous contributions to the upkeep of this temple playing only a mediatory role.The harmony was not forced from top .Had it been so this understanding and the , give and take policy would have fizzled out once that force was removed .Hence it does not warrant his temple being declared as' National importance'.It would be artificial imposition of state's will for speedy results which may not stand the test of time.
I donot doubt the intention behind the move to declare the temple as of National importance .It could be well meaning but if it is executed there will be some amount of fear in devotees that any involuntary act of theirs in the temple premises owing to thier exuberant bhakthi would invite punishment from the ASI and government.This will dampen their spirit and the vibrancy of this temple could be lost.
Srinivasar needs no recognition from state nor the conferment of the tittle on him that he is "Nationally important". He needs no such suffix ,His extraordinary power is already stamped in the mind and hearts of millions who visit him and have visited him since ages .He is not a bank to be nationalised . His coffers are filled to brim because devotees who are offering cash and so on are doing so as a token of thier gratitude as well as keeping up the promises made to him for wishes that were fullfilled by him .The relationship between devotee and lord Srinivasar is direct.Won't this wonderful realtionship be tampered with if one has to seek permission from goverment to enter his temple and come near his form and enter the sacred percinicts with fear of offending the government thus dampening and inhibiting the devotees uninhibited faith and religious fervour?
The move to declare this temple as of" National importance" would be followed sooner or later by another move to declare this temple as" World heritage site" owing to' univeraslity 'of Srinivasar.Then should we devotees seek permission from UN to visit our dear Bhagwan?
There are objections from some politicians regarding plating the entire temple [it is a small temple] in gold on the ground that the sculptures would lose their originality.These dampners and serial PIL advocates cum politicians may have even filed a case and obtained a stay. I hope that TTD's spirit is not crippled by this and that they try their best to vacate these stays .The objections raised by such politicians is not worth being heeded to . There are no sculptures in the temple that are unique or extraordinary that they should preserved in stone.I hope and wish that the TTD goes ahead with its plan of plating the temple with gold as soon as possible.
The temple will dazzle brilliantly if plated in gold and would add more lustre and richness to this temple that is famed for its wealth..It will add to the aura of this temple and exhilirate devotees who will be contented with the feeling that they have had a glimpse of Vaikuntum in here in this world itself whether they actually make it to that beautiful abode of Sriman Narayana.or not.
I have been visiting Tirumala temple since my childhood viz 1960's .nearly every year.My family had no difficulty in getting a quick darshan as a single call or a letter from my grand father would ensure it . . When we used to visit the smaller sannidhis like that of SriVarahar near the Srinivasar temple i remember having to close my nose at the stench arising from filth and human excreta strewn on the sides of Srinivasar temple .Simply put it was incredibily dirty all along the compound wall of this sacred & hoary temple.
Villagers from hamlets beyond Tirupathi would come in large groups ,carrying rations and climb up the hill on the steps as they could not afford the bus fare They would camp on the open grounds near the temple bathe in the Pushkarni -the temple pond in which we all avoided taking a bath as its waters were so dirty& contaminated that dip would cause cholera .The villagers bathed in this pushkarni .They also cooked food nearby &; also defecated near the temple.Not only villagers who defecated but also urban pilgrims did as there was no free toilet facility .Many pilgrims would wait for days together in sarava darshan queue when darshan was blocked for the sake of some VIP or the other attending the pujas or for other reasons .When rations and time run out these pilgrims would leave after paying thier obseince at the gate itself and go down .
Lord Venkateswara /Srinivasar was always respeledent within ,but outside the temple it was dirty and cramped .It was during NTR's period that a lot of pilgrim friendly changes were brought about .
First the areas sorrounding the temple were cleaned .It was done constantly.Several free toilets & , bathrooms were built .
Second a queue complex outside the temple was built ensuring darshan to all .In this complex food was available.It also has toilet facilities.In the waiting period which would be any where between four and 12 hours the pilgrims could eat and use the toilet in those days viz minimum 4 hours for 50 rs ticket &;; minimum 8 hours for free darshan.After the demise of my grand father our VIP entrance wasnot available and we had to wait in the queue complex for five hours along with our children from 1980's onwards to get a glimpse of Srinivasar.and had to endure the mad rush of frenzied crowds near the sanctum like any other person.
The hills were shorn of thier green cover in 60's and the rocky hills would radiate heat all over .It looked dry even in 7o's and would prick the eyes with its brittleness In 80's all the hills became wrapped in green colour owing to afforestation undertaken by TTD .Now the multitude of flower bearing trees and plants are a pleasing treat to the eyes .It reminds me of the time when early aazhwars in 5 th cent AD would climb the hills marveling at its thick cover of forest , the tribes and the tribes action with wild animals and wild animals devotion to venkateswara.They have expressed all this in poetic devotional hymns.
TTD improves and increase its facilities.I see this in each year i visit .First and foremost the entire Tirumala which has nearly 50,000 pilgrims passing it each day is spick and span.The pushkarni was dredged , cleaned and rebuilt in 90's.,Its waters are now crystal clear and transparent blue inviting me to o take a dip in it. Third the frequency of buses to &; fro to Tirumala from Tirupathi increased in 90 '.thus stopping the mad rush for buses by anxious pilgrims and is increasing each year ever since.This increase in transport was in tune with increasing affordability of all sections of society from 90's onwards.and thier eagerness to worship Srinivasar in his sacred premises amidst seven hills . The tickets are nominal.
Free lunch &;; dinner, free medical services , free chilled drinking water , free transport within Tirumala & host of other pilgrim friendly measures like separate queue for senior citizens, handicapped, and parents with infants is also provided .
In 2000 all the stalls , dilapidated houses &;; mutts which were all encroaching upon the circumbulatory passage restricting free movement of processional deity, in vahanas and chariot were removed and the passage was widened and steps were built all along the side of the circumbulatory passage so as to provide seats for thousands of pilgrims who throng the hills during the annual Bramho utsavam in September.. The belief is that if one witnesses the Garuda vahana seva of processional deity of Lord Srinivasa during Bramho utsavam then one is one step nearer to Moksham .The clearing of encroachments has also given the much needed space for pilgrims visiting the temple every day in 1000's to sit and relax after the darshan in front of the temple or in its sides..
I remember climbing these hills 25years back .My head was spinning at the steep steps of 1500-2000 or more that had no railing not even a rope for support.It was litrelly like rock climbing .Unnerved by this dizzy climbing I remember dropping a card on my return to TTd asking them to erect railings at least near those steep steps.Few years later i observed that railings were erected all along the route as well as shade over the steps to protect pilgrims from heat and rain .Maybe TTd did act on my heart felt suggestion .
Now Tirumala is a scenic cum religious spot.It is so clean and full of shady trees and flowers and the air pure and crisp and cool that it transports one to Indra loka.
Of late i am seeing nearly all the utsavams [temple festivals] broad cast in TTD 's tv channel.The processional deities in all the temples are dressed in gorgeous silk and zari and tastefully adorned with gold , diamond and precious gems.Ofcourse Malayappa swami --processional deity of Lord Srinivasa tops the chart.His jewels are numerous and splendid.His weapons--Shanku chakram are either cased in gold or in diamonds .He himself has gold cover for his entire panchaloka moorthy.so do his two consorts.Gold vessels &; laddles & pots ,huge and small are used for his abhishekam His aarti is taken on a gold plate.He thus shimmers in a golden haze dazzling one with his ethreal beauty.
The flower and fruit arrangments in all these utsavams be it the garland adorning the deities or the pandal is simply breath taking .I am sure designer florists are employed to bring out such aesthetic effect .
All this shows that TTD is not tight fisted in either providing amenities to pilgrims or in decorating the moorthy's-- idols.They are spending handsomely from the earnings which is from --Hundi collection which are the offerings in cash & kind from devotees.
TTD may not be quick in executing schemes such as these .But they do seem to be sensitive to the needs of pilgrims and are constantly improving and are doing a fine job.
I donot hold a brief for TTD .Nor do i have any connections with it.so why am i singing its peans?Simple. I donot want the ASI to take over the administration of Tirumala temple.
I have visited temples taken over by ASI .Neat and green lawns will be laid at front of the temple with a blue board stuck in the middle saying that the temple is under ASI and therefore no one should touch any part of it without its permission .if any one does he will be punished .A warning which litrelly says -Keep off this temple.So i would enter such temples with trepidition There would hardly be any worship of the deity in those temples which are declared to be under ASI .It would be like tomb .A forgotten and forlorn place visited by more of bats than humans.For example Vaikunthanathar temple at Kanchipuram,rock temples of,Mahabalipuram and, Thirumaiyum temple .But these temples have beautiful and unique sculptures which may required to be preserved for posterity.All sculptures in such temples glow with some special chemical treatment.There wont be even a small dot of haldi or kumkum on these figures .This glazed look makes them fit to be viewed as artefacts in a museum and not as part and parcel of a vibrant temple .Such temples are very camera friendly .
The Tirumala temple is a small temple and hardly has any sculptures that are unique or noteworthy.They are just like those found in any other Vishnu temple.There is nothing extraordinary about them .The only noteworthy feature of Tirumala temple is Srinivasar himself .He is seven to eight feet tall ,standing straight and brightly black, decked in innumerable ornaments and flower garlands and radiating his spiritual powers all around with the palm of his hands and with his majestic presence.He seems to be well taken care of.
Pilgrims and devotees donot visit Tirumala to view old monuments and sculptures.They are all drawn to Tirumala by their immense belief in the power of Lord Venkateswara/Srinivasar to grant them boons or to remove their misery or to solve their problems or to make them wealthy.He is the only ancient monument in those hills .He is the monumental attraction.
ASI usually spruces up the place sorrounding the temple and lays down lush lawns.This is already done efficiently by TTD .So what role can ASI play here except that of a spoil sport,I hope that this department of the govt keeps its hands off Tirumala temple as well as all those temples managed by TTD expertly.
According to Sri vaishnavaites one of the most important quality of Sriman narayana is his easy accessibility.It is for this reason that he takes avatars and allows himself to be enshrined or he himself rises in archa--moorthy form so that his devotees can be near him and enjoy his beautiful form and benifit from his various auspicious qualities.Hence all devotees should feel that they have a free access to their beloved deity at Tirumala without any fetters in form of governmental warnings.
Srinivasar of Tirumala is inclusive by all means .This example for this inclusivity was set by SRI Ramanujar in 12 th cent AD owing to his magnamity.At that time he was weilding tremendous influence over all and his word was law even to rulers yet he was generous enough to allow those who had persecuted him [saivaites] in previous years to have a say in the rituals of this sacred temple. All the other inclusivity viz giving a say to all sub sects & and castes in the temple rituals evolved over the centuries after the warring parties resolved it on their own with rulers who have made tremendous contributions to the upkeep of this temple playing only a mediatory role.The harmony was not forced from top .Had it been so this understanding and the , give and take policy would have fizzled out once that force was removed .Hence it does not warrant his temple being declared as' National importance'.It would be artificial imposition of state's will for speedy results which may not stand the test of time.
I donot doubt the intention behind the move to declare the temple as of National importance .It could be well meaning but if it is executed there will be some amount of fear in devotees that any involuntary act of theirs in the temple premises owing to thier exuberant bhakthi would invite punishment from the ASI and government.This will dampen their spirit and the vibrancy of this temple could be lost.
Srinivasar needs no recognition from state nor the conferment of the tittle on him that he is "Nationally important". He needs no such suffix ,His extraordinary power is already stamped in the mind and hearts of millions who visit him and have visited him since ages .He is not a bank to be nationalised . His coffers are filled to brim because devotees who are offering cash and so on are doing so as a token of thier gratitude as well as keeping up the promises made to him for wishes that were fullfilled by him .The relationship between devotee and lord Srinivasar is direct.Won't this wonderful realtionship be tampered with if one has to seek permission from goverment to enter his temple and come near his form and enter the sacred percinicts with fear of offending the government thus dampening and inhibiting the devotees uninhibited faith and religious fervour?
The move to declare this temple as of" National importance" would be followed sooner or later by another move to declare this temple as" World heritage site" owing to' univeraslity 'of Srinivasar.Then should we devotees seek permission from UN to visit our dear Bhagwan?
There are objections from some politicians regarding plating the entire temple [it is a small temple] in gold on the ground that the sculptures would lose their originality.These dampners and serial PIL advocates cum politicians may have even filed a case and obtained a stay. I hope that TTD's spirit is not crippled by this and that they try their best to vacate these stays .The objections raised by such politicians is not worth being heeded to . There are no sculptures in the temple that are unique or extraordinary that they should preserved in stone.I hope and wish that the TTD goes ahead with its plan of plating the temple with gold as soon as possible.
The temple will dazzle brilliantly if plated in gold and would add more lustre and richness to this temple that is famed for its wealth..It will add to the aura of this temple and exhilirate devotees who will be contented with the feeling that they have had a glimpse of Vaikuntum in here in this world itself whether they actually make it to that beautiful abode of Sriman Narayana.or not.
posted by K.C. Sujata at
7:22 AM
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