An excerpt taken from an article.

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TTD AND DESPIRITUALIZATION

TTD, the multi-billion rupees endowment, represents the best temple

management system in any shrine in India. But it has also fallen

victim to the general trend of increasing commercialization and

despiritualization of pilgrim centers.

 

Black money constitutes only a small fraction of the annual

collection at the temple, contrary to popular belief. The income from

darsan and seva tickets itself constitutes half the revenue and

donations to the free meal scheme add up another 33 crore (330

million) rupees.

 

The culture of crass commercialism and exploitation that dogs you in

Tirumala has been institutionalised by TTD itself. It has made minor

services needlessly free even as it milks people who prefer to pay to

jump the queue for darsan or sevas. With its eye on revenue and

populist policies, TTD has been tinkering with the deity's sleeping

time, religious duties and timings, rather than work around the Lord

as every temple should.

 

An exceptional stampede in the temple many years back was attributed

by the then Paramacharya of Kanchi Kamakoti Peetham to the improper

or non-observance of the rituals prescribed by the Agama Sastras. The

violation of the proscription on men entering the temple wearing

upper garments is prompted by the TTD. This is in sharp contrast to

the custom at major temples in Kerala, India.

 

M.V. Soundar Rajan, secretary, Dharma Rakshana Samiti, Hyderabad, is

highly critical of the violation of the Agama Sastras by the TTD and

its treating the deity as a mere stone. The famed, delicious laddu

prasad, he says, is not even offered to the deity but has been turned

into an industry despite strictures by the Justice Kondiah Committee

report 12 years ago.

 

He further points out that the deity has to suffer the unnecessary

and heavy diamond crown besides the heat of focused electric lights.

All sevas are compacted to be completed by dawn to facilitate darsan

by pilgrims while ignoring the importance of Ushas Kalam (the period

starting at 4.30 a.m).

 

TTD is trying to please all, especially the state government of

Andhra Pradesh, except the presiding deity it thrives on and claims

to serve.

 

"The devotion and pilgrimage by millions increase the power of the

deity while violation of the Agama Sastras will deplete its power and

wealth," Soundar Rajan points out. One result of rabid commercialism

and brazen doubling of displayed rates of eatables and beverages is

frequent scuffles between indignant devotees and vendors in the

massive Vaikuntam Queue Complex.

 

While its administrative and educational institutions could have been

managed better, the TTD's medical institutions, such as the one for

the handicapped, are doing yeoman's service.

 

Its flaws apart, TTD continues to cater to the needs of millions of

devotees who throng the temple every year to seek help for their

mundane worries and problems, propagating further the legend of this

God of Kaliyug.