TTD AND DESPIRITUALIZATION

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HARI AUM

 

Below is a part of a posting I had done in this forum

in May 2005.The details were collected from some

related sites which I do not remember.

 

It is interesting since we are discussing similar

issues realted to our Bhagavan's temple at GVR.

 

Regards

 

Balagopal

 

NARAYANA NARAYANA NARAYANA

 

 

 

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.

 

Om Namo Narayanayah

 

Balagopal

 

Om Namo Narayanaya:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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