Ahmedabad's Balaji Temple to be inaugurated on Saturday

Ahmedabad, Apr 2 (UNI) The inauguration ceremony of the newly-built Balaji Temple here will be held on April 7 in the presence of Jyothis Peethadishwar Jagadguru Shankaracharya Swami Madhavashram Maharaj, Jyothirmutt, Badarikashram and Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi.

Addressing reporters here today, Secretary of the Ahmedabad Andhra Mahasabha (AAMS) K Subbarayudu said,''30 pujaris from Tirupati are reaching here tomorrow. On April 4, Utsav Murthis of Lord Balaji will start from Ganesh temple, opposite the Bapunagar police station, and pass through different areas of the city before reaching the Balaji temple at the SG Highway, opposite to the Nirma University, at 1700 hrs.'' He said the temple, built on an area of 900 sq metres, had been constructed with full cooperation from the Tirupathi Tirumala Devasthanam (TTD). The construction cost Rs 2.5 crores, so far, and the expenditure could reach Rs 3 crores. The Temple complexes would consists of a Veda Vidyalaya, Art&Cultural Centre (to be built by AAMS), Kalyana Mandapam, TTD Information Centre and a Kuchipudi Dance Centre (to be built by TTD), Mr Subbarayadu added.

AAMS had acquired prime land measuring 6047 sq mts, Opposite the Nirma University, Ahmedabad for construction of the Temple following a dream of Andhra Mahasabha during 1976-77 that the city should have its own Balaji temple built strictly as per agamashastras of Lord Balaji temple at Tirupati.

The TTD information centre will not only provide information about various sevas performed at Tirupati, but also book their accommodation and sevas at Tirupati from the state capital itself for thousands of devotees visiting Tirupati from Gujarat.

The temple has been built with granite stones from Kanchi, carved at Tirupati, as per agamashastra (designed by TTD stapati) with the garbhagriham as high as 39.19 feet. The main entrance or ''Gali Gopuram'' is 49 feet in height and the 60 feet wooden ''dwajasthamb'', to be installed near the main entrance, was brought from Malayasia, Mr Subbarayudu said.

UNI