Agama Experts To Advise on Relocation of Srikalahasti Temple Kitchen

Tirupati: Endowments minister Anam Ramanarayana Reddy on Friday said a decision on shifting the prasadam kitchen (Potu) at the Sri Kalahasteeswara temple, where a fire broke out on Thursday, would be taken after consulting Agama experts.

The minister inspected the site of the fire near the South Gopuram along with temple officials and reviewed the possible causes, the damage and the safety measures required to prevent such incidents in future.

Speaking to the media, he said Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu and he were concerned after learning about the fire. Officials were alerted immediately and asked to submit details of the incident, he said. He said it was fortunate that no devotees or staff members were injured or lost their lives.

Ramanarayana Reddy said the Endowments Department would send temple architects (sthapathis) to inspect the premises and examine the possibility of shifting the kitchen. The location of the facility used to prepare offerings to the deities and the separate facility for distributing prasadam to devotees would be finalised based on the advice of Agama experts, he said.

The minister also said the state government had not presented silk clothes to temples during Karthika Masam and Navaratri because of the election Model Code of Conduct.

He said Chandrababu Naidu was giving special attention to temple development and improving facilities for devotees across the state. The coalition government was committed to resolving temple-related issues and improving facilities for devotees, he added.