Tirumala, July 14, 2013: Elaborate arrangements are being made for the grand conduct of the ‘Managudi’ programme slated to be held on August 21, on the auspicious Sravana Pournami festival. The prestigious programme, jointly embarked on by the TTD and the State endowments department, will be conducted across ten thousand temples in the State.

As part of the final itinerary ‘Alaya Shobha’ (cleaning, white washing and decorating the temples) will be organised on August 8, Dharmic discourses apropos the significance of the ‘Managudi’ by eminent scholars (August 11), Kumkumarchana (August 12), Gopuja ( August 14), followed by mass Varalakshmi vratam (August 16), Satyanarayana vratam in girijana wadas (August 17) and ultimately ‘Managudi’ on August 21.

The meeting also approved a budget of Rs. 68 crore for the construction of a massive Pilgrims Amenities Complex (PAC) at Tiruchanoor, the sacred abode of goddess Padmavathi ammavaru, besides the construction of guest houses, kalyana mandapam, canteen etc.

‘Golden’ touch

This apart, the board also resolved to sanction Rs. 3.2 crore for providing ‘golden’ touch to various vahanams (carriers) at the temple of Sri Govindaraja Swamy at Tirupati. About ten kilograms of gold is estimated to go into fulfilling the task. Likewise, it also gave its nod for endowing a silver Thirumanjanam altar at a cost of Rs. 53.78 lakh which includes the purchase of about 119 kilograms of silver required for making the altar. With regard to the long pending vexatious issue of providing house sites to the employees, the board decided to send fresh proposals to the State government seeking allotment of alternative site against the already sanctioned site at Perur village. The board also constituted a three-member committee with the Tirupati-based JEO, P. Venkatrami Reddy, as its convenor to suggest a range of developmental works that can be initiated at various sub-temples under its fold.

Earlier the TTDs Chairman K. Bapiraju and Executive officer M.G. Gopal, along with other member trustees, released wall posters of the ‘Managudi’ programme.

Source: The Hindu, DT. July 14, 2013.