From palm leaves to petabytes: TTD races to digitise historic records
Tirumala temple trust fast-tracks massive archival project to preserve centuries of administrative history
Update: 2025-05-04 12:48 GMT
From palm-leaf manuscripts and fragile paper archives to cutting-edge digital systems, the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) is accelerating one of its most ambitious archival initiatives — the digitisation of its centuries-old administrative records.
The temple trust is working to preserve and modernise a vast trove of documents that chronicle the evolution of temple governance over the decades. Officials said around 22.1 million pages have been digitised so far, and an additional ₹3 crore has been sanctioned to fast-track the remaining work.
The TTD, which manages the famed Tirumala temple, holds records dating back to 1843, detailing temple affairs with local rulers, the Arcot Nawabs, the East India Company, and British authorities. “These historical records are invaluable. They reflect over a millennium of temple governance, and we are committed to preserving this legacy,” said a senior official.
Temple administration was originally overseen by the Mahants until 1933, when the British instituted a formal Devasthanam Committee. Following Independence, the TTD was reorganised into its current form. Administrative work continued on paper until the 1980s, resulting in the deterioration of many critical documents.
Recognising the urgency, the temple trust tasked Andhra Pradesh Technology Services (APTS) with overseeing the digitisation project. After a bidding process, Hyderabad-based Iron Mountain India Pvt. Ltd. began scanning operations in August 2023.
“We had estimated scanning around 16 million pages, but the volume of material exceeded expectations. We’ve already crossed 22.1 million pages, and more remain,” said an official involved with the project.
The digitisation effort employs a combination of high-resolution scanning, metadata indexing, microfilming, and, where applicable, optical character recognition (OCR). These technologies not only ensure digital preservation but also improve accessibility and searchability of the records.
Meanwhile, the TTD is ramping up its broader digital infrastructure. Since the establishment of a dedicated IT wing in 2002, the trust has developed over 108 in-house software applications for services such as darshan bookings, accommodation, prasadam distribution, hospital systems, and donor management.
To support this expanding digital ecosystem, the TTD has proposed upgrading the post of Deputy General Manager (IT) to General Manager, along with the creation of an additional GM-level post to streamline operations.