Tirupati: Demolition of Parveta Mandapam snowballs into a controversy

Tirupati: The recent demolition of Parveta Mandapam and TTD’s move to remove another heritage construction ‘Padala Mandapam’ at Alipiri at Tirumala have been snowballing into a major controversy with BJP and RPS raising objections on it.

BJP State spokesperson and former member of TTD Trust Board G Bhanu Prakash Reddy said that he is approaching the court on the issue while his advocate K Ajay Kumar issued a notice to the TTD EO on the matter.

Addressing the media in Tirupati on Monday, Bhanu Prakash Reddy said that he was accepting the challenge of TTD EO AV Dharma Reddy to visit the Parveta Mandapam saying that he will come up with photos of the old structure and the renovated structure. He asked the EO also to come with similar evidence.

He showed the notice copy to the media, which mentioned that the Parveta Mandapam was in existence for a period of more than 600 years. The TTD authorities have grossly violated the historical Parveta Mandapam without obtaining an opinion from the experts of the Archaeological Survey of India. It was also stated that the TTD constructed new structures completely replacing the old one.

The old pillars and structures having archaeological authenticity should be protected as antiquity and monuments and the Parveta Mandapam should have been reconstructed to the true original plan and design. He felt that the ancient sculptures and pillars of Parveta Mandapam appear to have been destroyed while constructing a new structure.

Meanwhile, Rayalaseema Porata Samithi (RPS) convenor P Naveen Kumar Reddy wrote letters to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Minister for Culture and Tourism G Kishan Reddy seeking action on the violation of the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains Act 1958 (AMASR) by the TTD. He stated that many ancient mandapas such as Parveta Mandapam, Padala Mandapam besides Sri Venkateswara Swamy temple at Tirumala are under the custody of the TTD and they were in existence for more than 800 to 900 years thereby possessing rich historical and archaeological importance.

Such ancient monuments irrespective of their ownership should be protected, preserved and maintained as per the AMASR. He mentioned about the demolition of Parveta Mandapam while the new mandapam was constructed with new granite stones and asked the Union Minister to depute a team of officials to enquire into the violations of the TTD in protecting the ancient mandapas.