VIP darshan at Tirupati temple to be abolished soon, says TTD chairman YV Subba Reddy

Tirumala: Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) board chairman YV Subba Reddy has announced that VIP darshans would be abolished soon adding that the board was planning to re-introduce Archana Anantara Darshanam soon.

As per the current rules, VIPs under three categories L1, L2 and L3 are allowed to offer prayers at the temple.

Under L1 list VVIP officials like judges, higher-ranking government officials and ministers can visit, L2 is meant for TTD employees, their family members and lower level of officials and government representatives while L3 category is for people who have recommendation letters from sitting MPs, legislators, higher cadre officials and TTD employees.

According to a media report, Reddy further said that the Board would not wait for the High Court verdict on the PIL filed against VIP darshans adding that he had already told the EO and JEO to stop the list darshans. He further claimed that the situation is such that people have approached the court against the VIP darshan.

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Reddy also said that he would ensure that devotees get to pay obeisance to the deity every day.

The construction of Venkateswara temple started in 300 AD and has been constructed in Dravidian architecture. One of the richest temples in the world in terms of donations received and the overall accumulated wealth around 50,000 to 100,000 pilgrims visit the temple daily.

The temple has an annual income of Rs 3,000 crore and during festivals, the number of visitors goes up to one lakh.

"Our priority is providing hassle-free darshan to devotees and ensure permanent measures that Tirumala is free from water scarcity," Subba Reddy had said after his appointment.

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YV Subba Reddy is the uncle of Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy. Reddy, who is a senior leader of the ruling YSR Congress Party (YSRCP), is the 50th Chairman of TTD Trust Board, which is entrusted with managing daily affairs of the temple.

Recently, TTD officials said that the temple is sitting on pure gold reserves of over 9,000 kg.

The board has 7,235 kg of the precious metal deposited with two nationalized banks under different gold deposit schemes.

The board holds 1,934 kg gold in its treasury, including 1,381 kg which it got back from Punjab National Bank following the end of a three-year term of a gold deposit scheme.

The board is expecting to earn total revenue of about Rs 3,116 crore including Rs 1,231 crore from offerings and Rs 846 crore from interest on deposits in nationalized and private banks during 2019-20.