Annavaram deity to have a diamond crown

Rajamahendravaram: Presiding deity of Annavaram temple Lord Sri Veera Venkata Satyanarayana Swamy will get a diamond crown shortly. Though it was a little late, commissioner of endowments department accorded permission for making of diamond crown to the Lord.

According to temple executive officer M V Suresh Babu, Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) will make the prestigious diamond crown at an estimated cost of Rs 4.4 crore. TTD gave model design of the crown to the temple management on August 22, 2015.

However, the proposal has not been sent to the endowments commissioner since then due to fund crunch and other reasons. Three months ago, the Annavaram temple trust board passed a resolution in this regard and sent the proposal for the consent of endowments commissioner who accorded permission for the diamond crown.

For making diamond crown, 1.8 kgs of gold will be used along with precious stones such as diamonds, emeralds, blue, green, red stones, etc., to be studded in the crown. Big size rubies also will be studded in the middle of the diamond crown.

Moreover, the height of the diamond crown is 7.5 inches and the dimeter at bottom will be 19 inches. Two diamond Karnapatras on both sides of the crown with a height of 3.8 inches and width of 1.8 inches will also be another attraction for the jewel.

EO Suresh Babu said for getting donations for making the diamond crown a bank account with number 38890156346 with the IFSC code of the branch SBIN0002690 was opened in State Bank of India Annavaram branch.

Appealing to the people to deposit their donations in this account, he said steps were being taken to get Income Tax exemption for the donations. The long-pending wish of devotees to see the deity adorned with diamond crown is going to be realised in the backdrop of rising hundi collection of the temple following steady increase in number of devotees t visiting the shrine on Ratnagiri.