Date:02/02/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/02/02/stories/2008020255400600.htm

Andhra Pradesh

TTD to rename ‘Nijapada darshan seva’

Staff Reporter

‘Steps afoot to reopen janata canteens to provide food at a subsidised rate of Rs.10 to devotees’

TIRUMALA: The Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) management has proposed to rename the existing ‘Nijapada darshan seva’ organised on Fridays as ‘Abhishekanantara Darshan seva’ hereafter.

TTD Executive Officer K.V. Ramanachary disclosed this at the ‘Dial TTD EO’ programme on Friday in response to a query by Lakshmi Devi, a devotee of Bangalore.

The devotee said that even though the ritual was called ‘Nijapada darshan seva’, the ‘holy feet’ of the presiding deity are hardly visible.

Mr. Ramanachary, who anchored the programme, agreed with the argument and said as the ‘seva’ was organised after the weekly celestial bath to the deity, steps would be initiated to rename it as ‘Abhishekanantara seva’.

A former councillor from Tirupati, Naveen Kumar Reddy, suggested putting up of display boards of ‘arjitha sevas’ at the railway station for the convenience of the devotees.

While a caller from Ongole Venkataswamy complained about lack of proper upkeep of cottages provided to common and ordinary pilgrims, Indrani from Bapatla suggested erecting supporting rods along the tedious foot path leading to Tirumala for the benefit of pilgrims on the trek.

A caller from Perumalpalli, Raghu, suggested installation of a granite idol depicting ‘Gajendra Moksham’ in the open place available at the massive

Mr. Ramanachary also said that steps were afoot to reopen over a dozen janata canteens located at various places atop the temple town to provide food at a subsidised rate of Rs.10 to the devotees.