News Analysis India

Tag: TTD

  • Temple’s rituals cannot be examined by constitutional courts, says Supreme Court

    By Online Desk

    A constitutional court cannot interfere in the day-to-day affairs of a temple, the Supreme Court said on Tuesday.

    “Can we interfere in the rituals of a temple? How to break a coconut or how to do aarti,” said a bench headed by Chief Justice NV Ramana while terming the PIL filed by devotee Srivari Daadaa as a PIL.

    The apex court refused to entertain a plea against an order of the Andhra Pradesh High Court dismissing a PIL of a devotee alleging “wrongful and irregular procedure” in performing ‘Puja’ of Lord Venkateshwara Swamy at Tirupathi Tirumala Devasthanam’, saying a constitutional court cannot interfere into the day-to-day affairs of a temple.

    The bench, also comprising Justices A S Bopanna and Hima Kohli, however, directed the Tirupathi Tirumala Devasthanam’ management to respond in writing to the representation of the devotee on various issues relating to darshan and puja by devotees at the historic temple within eight weeks from Tuesday (November 16).

    “The relief sought by the petitioner is in the nature of interfering in day-to-day affairs of the temple, which cannot be gone into by a constitutional court.

    If a ritual or ‘seva’ is not performed according to established practices is a question of facts to be gone into by the Trial Court by appreciating the evidence”, the bench said in its order.

    It granted liberty to the devotee to approach a trial court with a lawsuit to agitate his grievances over the rituals or method of performing the ‘puja’.

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    Earlier, the top court on September 29 had directed the ‘Tirupathi Tirumala Devasthanam’ to respond to a plea of a devotee of Lord Venkateshwara Swamy alleging “wrongful and irregular procedure” in performing ‘puja’ there.

    The bench was hearing an appeal of a devotee against the order of the Andhra Pradesh High Court refusing to entertain the PIL by observing that the procedure of conducting rituals is the exclusive domain of the Devasthanam and cannot be a matter of adjudication unless it impacts secular or civil rights of others.

    Tirupathi Tirumala Devasthanam is an independent trust which manages temples including the famous Lord Venkateshwara Swamy in Andhra Pradesh.

    Daadaa has filed the appeal in the top court against the January 5 order of the high court dismissing his PIL. The plea had stated that the temple authority has been performing sevas namely, 1) Abhishekam Seva, 2) Thomala Seva, 3) Arjitha Brahmostavam 4) Yekanta Utsavalu (Srivari Varshika Brahmotsavams – 2020) and 5) Maha Laghu Darshan, in a wrongful and irregular procedure.

    The PIL had prayed for the issuance of direction to ‘Devasthanam’ to rectify the method of holding the rituals.

    “We are of the view that the present Public Interest Litigation is not maintainable for the following reasons: Firstly, the procedure of conducting rituals is the exclusive domain of the Devasthanam and cannot be a matter of adjudication unless it impacts secular or civil rights of others,” the high court had said. Secondly, the ‘Devasthanam’ cannot be said to be discharging public duties in the matter of conducting rituals.

    Such activities falling within an ecclesiastical domain are not amenable to writ jurisdiction at the behest of an outsider, it had said. “Accordingly, we are of the opinion that the Writ Petition is devoid of merits and is liable to be dismissed. Accordingly, the Writ Petition is dismissed ” the high court had said.

    (With PTI inputs)

  • Foundation stone laid for Lord Venkateswara temple in Jammu

    By PTI
    JAMMU: The foundation stone for the Lord Venkateswara temple of the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanam (TTD) was laid here on Sunday and the ceremony was attended by Union ministers G Kishen Reddy and Jitendra Singh, as well as Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha.

    The Sri Venkateswara Swamy Temple and its allied infrastructure will be built on a 62.06-acre piece of land at Majeen village near Jammu.

    The temple’s administration will under the TTD that also manages the hill shrine of Lord Venkateswara at Tirumala-Tirupati in Andhra Pradesh.

    TTD Trust Board chairman Y V Subba Reddy along with other board members, including legislators, attended the ceremony.

    Many local political leaders, civil and police officers and heads of urban local bodies and panchayati raj institutions were also part of the event.

    The Jammu and Kashmir administrative council, headed by Lt Governor Sinha, on April 1 had approved a proposal to allot land to the TTD for building the temple and its allied infrastructure on lease basis for a period of 40 years.

    Subsequently, 62.02 acres of land at Majeen was given to the TTD for building the temple, amenities for pilgrims, a Veda Patashala, a spiritual and meditation centre, an office, residential quarters and parking.

    The arrival of the TTD in Jammu and Kashmir will tap the tourism potential, particularly pilgrim tourism in Jammu, besides enhancing economic activities, an official spokesman said.

    “Once developed, the TTD infrastructure will be an attraction for pilgrims and tourists in addition to the Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine and Amarnathji Shrine,” he said, adding that this development will contribute to the economic growth of the region.

    Jammu and Kashmir BJP president Ravinder Raina, who was those who attended the event, said, “Jammu is a city of temples and the addition of the most revered Balaji temple in the city would benefit the people.”

    He said the construction of Balaji temple is a blessing for the Union Territory and its adjoining states as people will get an opportunity to pray here instead of travelling to Andhra Pradesh.

    Raina said the allied infrastructure, including educational institutions and hospitals, would benefit people and generate economic activities.

    “It will be an addition in the circuit of various important religious places, including the Vaishno Devi shrine, Bawe Wali Mata, Raghunath temple and Amarnath shrine,” he said.

    National Conference provincial president Devender Singh Rana expressed hope that the local people would be provided jobs and ample opportunities in the construction activities of the temple.

    “We are hopeful that it will become a major attraction for the people of northern India and will give a boost to religious tourism,” he said.

  • J&K administration allots 496 kanals of land to TTD on 40-year lease for temple, allied infra

    Express News Service
    SRINAGAR: The Jammu and Kashmir administration has allotted over 496 kanals of land on lease for 40 years to the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) for building a temple and allied infrastructure.

    An official spokesman said the Administrative Council (AC), which is headed by Lt Governor Manoj Sinha, met and approved the proposal to allot 496 kanals and 17 marlas of land to the TTD for building a temple and its allied infrastructure, pilgrim amenities complex, vedapatasala, spiritual/meditation centre, office, residential quarters and parking.

    The land, he said, would be allotted to the TTD on lease basis for a period of 40 years.

    TTD, which is headquartered at Tirupati, is an independent trust which manages temples including the Tirumala Venkateswara temple in Andhra Pradesh.

    The official spokesman said TTD, a board established by the government under the TTD Act, 1932 is a charitable organization of international repute with a proven track record of activities in the spiritual, cultural, social, and educational sphere.

    “Its arrival in J&K will tap the tourism potential particularly pilgrims in Jammu, the city of temples, besides enhancing economic activities,” he said.

    According to the spokesman, once developed, the TTD infrastructure will be an attraction for pilgrims and tourists in addition to the Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine and Amarnath Shrine.

    “It will enable tourists to come and stay longer in Jammu city. The future development on the campus will also contribute to economic growth of the region,” he added.

  • Prime Minister Narendra Modi wishes Navratri to the countrymen

    Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday greeted the people on the first day of Navratri 2020 and wished for happiness, peace and prosperity in their lives. He said in a tweet that the Goddess be safe, healthy and prosperous by the grace of Goddess. Prime Minister Modi said, “Salute to mother Shailputri on the first day of Navratri. By his grace our house remains safe, healthy and prosperous. May his blessings empower us to bring positive changes in the lives of the poor and the underprivileged. ”Please tell that from today (Saturday) the Sharadiya Navratras have started. Goddess Mother is being worshiped in temples across the country since morning. Devotees are also taking precautions in view of the Coronavirus crisis. Amidst strict adherence to Kovid-19 related rules, the annual “Navratri Brahmotsavam” of Lord Venkateswara Temple in Tirumala began on Friday. A temple official said that in view of the coronavirus epidemic situation, the temple manager Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanam (TTD) decided to organize the nine-day festival without involving devotees. He said that “Brahmotsavam” is being done inside the temple, in which only senior priests and top TTD officials are taking precaution.