Maha Prakaram at Tirumala put on hold

The Andhra Pradesh government's ambitious plan to construct a 'Maha Prakaram' [a grand outer wall] around the famous hill shrine of Lord Balaji at Tirumala has been put on hold following differences of opinion among vastu experts and 'Agama Shastra' [temple architecture] pundits over the proposal.

An Agama Advisors Committee constituted by the temple management board has already cleared the Rs 12 crore project.

Endowments Minister D Sivaramaraju, addressing the assembly on Friday, said, "We will not undertake anything that adversely affects the sentiments of the devotees."

The proposal for the wall had been mooted in December 2002 and a committee of Agama advisors appointed by Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams, had approved the project by a majority decision in January 2003, the minister said.

Earlier, Congress member Ramakrishna Reddy said construction of the 'Maha Prakaram' would go against the principles of Agama Shastra and quoted some pundits and heads of religious Mutts as having warned of 'disastrous consequences' if the ancient temple architecture was disturbed.

Stating that the project would also entail removal of certain ancient structures in the temple premises and changing the direction of 'Pushkarni' [the temple pond], he said such a course would be tantamount to violating vastu principles.

The country's richest temple, with annual earnings in excess of Rs 600 crore, has two 'Prakarams' now and adding a third wall would not be in consonance with the accepted Agama principles, Reddy said.

While assuring the house that the government would not go ahead with the project in haste, the minister said the idea was to reduce congestion in the temple premises and facilitate smooth flow of pilgrims.