No other religion propagated in Tirumala, says TTD

Bangalore, July 28 (UNI) Vociferously denying various rumours and allegations spread against it, the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD), administrators of the famous Lord Venkateswara temple in Andhra Pradesh, today clarified that no other religion was being propagated in the hill shrine other than Hinduism.

Addressing a news conference here, TTD Executive Officer Sri A P V Narayana Sarma said, ''There is no propagation of any other religion, except Hindu Dharma Pracharam and the divine qualities of Lord Venkateswara. A house to house survey conducted at Tirumala also revealed that only Hindu Dharma Pracharam is taking place at the temple town.'' He also clarified that there was no propagation of any other religion in TTD-run schools and colleges.

Mr Sarma also explained that the universities in Tirupati were not under the control of TTD. The varsities only took the support of the TTD for establishing special chairs for doing research on Saint Poets like Annamayya and Purandaradas, besides vedas and puranas, he added.

He assured that the TTD would continue to take all necessary steps to preserve the spiritual atmosphere at Tirumala.

Mr Sarma informed that the Specified Authority of TTD had decided at a recent meeting that henceforth employees working in the temple would wear white shirt and dhoti and sport a 'tilakam or kumkum' on their foreheads. Further, all employees would be made to give a declaration professing faith in Lord Venkateswara, he added.

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