AP Govt Instructions: Lord Venkateswara To Fast On Monday Afternoons For VVIPs Darshan?
Tirumala/Tirupati: The ruling TDP Government has taken a controversial decision in contravention of the Agama Shastras prescribed for conducting the temple rituals of Lord Venkateswara Swamy in Tirumala.
The temple rituals essentially follow the Vaikhansa Agaam texts which prescribe as to what time and frequency the food offerings (Naivedyam) to the Lord have to be made.
In a recent directive, the state government has instructed the TTD officials and archakas to change the afternoon timings of the food offerings to the morning hours at seven AM.
Now the offerings are usually made at the Second Bell in the afternoon. The reason for this change was reportedly to accommodate the VVIP break darshan on Monday, which had increased considerably post the election notification schedule was announced.
But then, the TTD had stated to ensure that the L-2, L-3 Darshans are uninterrupted and the lunch offerings were shifted to the morning hours. The government has ordered the Temple priests for the lunch offerings to be made by 7 AM itself.
This has caused widespread criticism among the Hindu religious leaders, as they say that these rituals were prescribed with a purpose and called as the "Trikala Nivedana".
The morning offering is given at 5:30 AM, the afternoon offering at around 1:00PM and the night offering is at 8:00 PM. Now to accommodate the VVIP break darshan on Monday after the L-1 break darshan, the afternoon offerings are being submitted.
Then the L-2, L-3 darshans are continued without a break, followed by a break in the night for the Dinner offerings at the third bell.
Why Monday?
The Government claims that since on Sunday there is a Special Pooja conducted and with major demand for the VVIP Break Darshan. In order to avoid inconvenience to the L-2, L-3 devotees and ensure that the darshans continue freely the Government has taken this decision, it is reported.
Deputy EO Harindranath has sent a letter to the Agama Sastra Advisory Committee for their advice. Meanwhile the afternoon ritual was conducted at seven in the morning upon the advice of three priests and the temple main archakas on Monday,he said in a press release.
