Sanctity of Hindu temples: Tirupati temple board recommends state govt to transfer or give VRS to non-Hindus staff

Ever since the reports of adulteration with Temple Prasada came to light from Andra Pradesh’s Tirupati temple, the issue of the sanctity and piousness of Hindu temples, rituals, and traditions has gained strength. Now, in a major development on this line, the Temple Management has passed several resolutions to ensure the sanctity of Tirumala Venkateswara temple. This includes the decision to do away with the employment of non-Hindus in the temple premises. As per reports, the management has recommended the Andra Pradesh government to either transfer non-Hindu employees or offer them VRS. 

Notably, on 18 November, the newly-formed Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) held its first meeting under the leadership of its new chairman, B.R. Naidu. It is the independent trust that is managing the Tirumala Venkateswara temple in Tirupati. 

Amidst the meeting, the board passed several key resolutions aimed at maintaining the sanctity of the place of worship, improving temple operations, and also regarding the piousness of the Tirumala Prasadam.

As part of the resolution, one of the major decisions pertains to the employment of non-Hindus within the temple premises. The board has recommended that the Andhra Pradesh government either transfer such employees to other departments or offer them voluntary retirement (VRS). 

Officials emphasized that this move aligns with the temple’s traditional Hindu sanctity while at the same time ensuring that the non-Hindu employees are appropriately rehabilitated. 

Over the years, the interference of non-Hindus especially in key administrative and management decisions relating to the traditions and rituals of the Hindu Mandir had become a major cause for concern for Hindu devotees. The concerns of adulteration with Hindu rituals and hurting the sentiments of the Hindus took flight when a lab report revealed that animal fat was present in Ghee used for the temple Prasadam. 

Another significant decision includes the formation of an expert panel to devise strategies to reduce darshan waiting times to two or three hours. Additionally, the TTD decided to ban political statements within temple premises to maintain the sacred atmosphere to prevent the religious place from turning into political grounds. 

The board also resolved to address issues surrounding the quality of Prasad’s preparation. Plans are underway to procure superior-quality ghee for the Tirupati laddus. 

In September, it came out that animal fat including beef tallow and lard (pig fat) were reportedly used in the making of Tirumala Laddu under the previous TSRCP government led by Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy.

The TTD has also moved to eliminate the Andhra Pradesh Tourism Corporation’s special ‘Darshan’ quota for various states following complaints of irregularities. In another financial decision, all TTD deposits in private banks will be transferred to nationalized banks to enhance accountability.