Top

Golden gopuram for Yadagirigutta temple

The temple gets about Rs 66 to Rs 67 crore of revenue

Hyderabad: The famous Lakshmi Narasimha Swamy temple at Yadagirigutta, 70 km from here, will soon have a golden gopuram. Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao, who visited the temple for the first time after assuming power, offered prayers at the temple on Friday.

Speaking to the media later, he said the government would develop the temple on the lines of Venkateswara temple at Tirumala. “It will have a temple city on 2,000 acres, new cottages, villas atop the temple and at the foothills, a golden gopuram and other amenities for pilgrims.

The temple will be made a major spiritual centre,” he said. He was irked by the unhygienic conditions around the temple and told officials to ensure cleanliness and improve sanitation immediately.

“The area around the temple is unclean...pigs are roaming. Temple authorities should take immediate steps to clean the precincts.

I will visit the temple after 15 days again and check,” he said Stating that the temple has huge potential to increase revenue through better facilities for pilgrims, he said the government would also rope in corporate institutions and develop the areas around the temple with greenery, forest belt and gardens.

“The temple gets about Rs 66 to Rs 67 crore of revenue. After deduction of salaries and expenses, the officials save around Rs 30 crore. With government, endowment and corporate support, the temple and its surroundings can be developed to make it a major centre of pilgrimage,” he said.

He also promised to regularise services of temple staff and bring more land under the purview of the temple which is at present under the panchayat. “There is haphazard growth in the temple town. We have to streamline it,” the Chief Minister said.

Though the temple is atop a hill, it is overshadowed by haphazard structures,” he said.

Mr Rao also announced that the government would make it mandatory for the Chief Minister of the day to present ‘pattu vastram’ (silk clothes) and other items to the god during annual Brahmhotsavams.

Referring to the Jain temple at Kolanpak nearby, he said proposals are underway to develop the region at a cost of Rs 3,000 crore.

The CM, who arrived at Yadagirigutta in a helicopter along with education minister G. Jagadishwar Reddy, Nalgonda MP Narasaiah and local leaders, undertook an aerial survey of the area around the temple.

On arrival at the temple by road, the CM was received with temple honours. After offering prayers, he held a review meeting and went round the temple premises.

( Source : dc correspondent )
Next Story