TTD to build Lord Venkateswara shrine in 4 Metros

March 12, 2007

Tirupati, March 11, 2007 (TIRUPATITIMES.COM)

Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) which manages the famous hill shrine of Lord Venkateswara, richest in the country, at Tirumala near here would construct the replica of the hill shrine in four major cities – New Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai and Kolkata.

TTD Chairman Mr. B. Karunakara Reddy said here today that the UPA Chairperson, Mrs. Sonia Gandhi, several Union Ministers and famous hindu religious leaders would be participating in the sacred foundation stone laying ceremony for the construction the Lord Venkateswara Temple in the Gole Market area close to Birla Mandhir in New Delhi in the last week of this month.

After an in depth consultations with the priests and temple agama sastra pandits , the date for the ceremony is to be finalised in two or three days, he said.

Mrs. Gandhi gave her consent to participate in the sacred ceremony when Mr. Reddy along with TTD spiritual activities advisor, Mr. V.V Sharma met her personally and extended the invitation in the capital on Friday last, the Chairman said.

The temple would be constructed in the ancient Dravidian style by using sculptured quartzite and granite stones, pillars and slabs at a cost of about Rs.1000 million. The sacred dome on the sanctum and sanctorum and the huge wooden doors of the shrine would be adorned with the gold-coated traditionally ornamented copper sheets, Mr. Reddy said.

Mr. Reddy also said that a large number of devotees in the country and abroad have expressed their willingness to offer donations in a big way for the construction of the replica of Tirumala temple in the four major cities.

Mrs. Gandhi would also inaugurate a two-day National Seminar on the hindu mytholologial story - Epic Mahabharatha - A helpful resource for better living– to be organized by TTD at the temple vacant site on the same day in the capital, Mr. Reddy said adding that about 500 researchers, philosophers and spiritual leaders across the world would be participating in it.

TTD has been contemplating to erect about a dozen 40-foot tall bronze idols of Saints and Kings who in the past served the Lord, around the 2000-year old hill temple, Mr. Reddy said. http://www.tirupatitimes.com/