TTD decides to shunt out Archakas over 65 yrs

​Tirupati: In a significant development, the Tirumala-Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) Trust Board has decided not to continue the services of Archakas working in TTD temples after the completion of the age of 65.

It also resolved to issue show-cause notice to Tirumala temple senior priest AV Ramana Deekshithulu, seeking his explanation for making serious allegations against the TTD management.

The recently-appointed Trust Board at its first meeting held in Annamaiah Bhavan, Tirumala on Wednesday unanimously adopted the resolution impacting the Archakas, the priests working under the TTD control and concerned with the performance of daily poojas, rituals and other temple ceremonies and religious celebrations as per Agama Shastra.

The decision which will come into force immediately assumes significance as it came a day after Ramana Deekshithulu fired a salvo at a media conference he held in Chennai attacking the TTD management for compromising with the conduct of rituals in the Lord Venkateswara temple so as to accommodate the VIPs’ interests.

Interestingly, Ramana Deekshithulu, who is 70 years, will be sent out while three others working in the same cadre – Narasimha Deekshithulu, Srinivasamurthy Deekshithulu and Nayana Deekshithlu, will also face the same fate, resulting in four senior priests going away at one stroke.

The priest, who is not new to making such controversial observations against the TTD management, said the officials are forcing the priests to cut short the rituals so that they can get more time for VIP Darshan, hinting that the officials  are striving to be in the good books of the influential than adhering to the rituals and religious practices in vogue in Tirumala temple. The officials are acting in a way violating the temple religious practices and are also commercially driven, he alleged.    

Asserting that his priesthood in Tirumala temple is hereditary and is more than 2000 years old, Deekshithulu said that there is no retirement for the Archakas rendering selfless devotional service in the shrine, continuing their age-old tradition and practice inherited from their forefathers since they are in womb and following many Samaskars before taking up the priest service in the temple.

Briefing newsmen on the decision taken at the maiden trust board meeting, TTD chairman Putta Sudhakar Yadav said the board approved many of the decisions that have been pending for a year. The next board meeting will be held on June 5, he said.

The board constituted the Advisory Committee for Sri Venkateswara Swamy temple in New Delhi and also set up a sub-committee for investing TTD deposits in banks. It also decided to conduct Arjitha Kalyanotsavam (paid seva) on the day of Punarvasu Nakshtram, the birth star of Lord Rama, in Chandragiri Kodanda Ramalayam, every month.

Meanwhile, TTD Executive Officer Anil Kumar Singhal informed that notice will be sent to Ramana Deekshithulu for making baseless allegations against the TTD management. Replying to a volley of questions on the reported remarks of Ramana Deekshithulu, he said that the notice will be sent to him, as per the TTD Board decision for his alleged derogatory remarks.