TTD's Sanatana Dharma Outreach Through Nationwide Temple Expansion

TIRUPATI: The Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams has stepped up its efforts to promote Sanatana Dharma across the country by establishing a set of Sri Venkateswara Swamy temples in every state and Union Territory.

The TTD trust board, which administers the renowned Sri Venkateswara Swamy temple at Tirumala and 65 other temples across states, has embarked on a nationwide expansion programme following a directive from chief minister Chandrababu Naidu.

The stated aim is to take the spiritual legacy of Tirumala beyond Andhra Pradesh and make Lord Venkateswara more accessible to devotees across states.

The TTD board headed by chairman BR Naidu has approved the construction of Sri Venkateswara temples in Assam, Bihar, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, and Mumbai. The trust is also exploring opportunities to establish similar temples in other states and UTs.

In Bihar, the state government allotted 15 acres of land near Patna for the construction of a Sri Venkateswara Swamy temple. The TTD chairman recently met Bihar’s chief minister Samrat Choudhary and thanked him for facilitating the land allotment.

The temple would be constructed on the banks of the Ganga and close to a national highway. Apart from the main shrine, the complex will include a Kalyana Mandapam and a Pushkarini for devotees.

"These temples are not merely places of worship. They will serve as centres for the promotion of Sanatana Dharma, spiritual learning and cultural activities", Naidu claimed.

Meanwhile, TTD recently took possession of 10 acres of land at Amerigog village in Assam's Kamrup Metropolitan district for the construction of the first Sri Venkateswara temple in the Northeast. The Assam government completed the registration process and handed over the land documents to a TTD delegation led by BR Naidu.

The Assam project gained momentum after Naidu met chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma last year to discuss the proposal.