Bhadradri Sitha Rama Kalyanam: Questions raised over sector-wise sale of tickets

Hyderabad: Questions were raised over the Telangana State Endowments Department adopting discriminatory practices to make money out of Sri Sitharama Kalyanam, the celestial wedding of Lord Rama at Bhadrachalam.

According to Viswa Hindu Parishad Telangana (VHP-TS) unit, the Endowments department is acting against the very spirit and the hundreds of years of tradition of conducting the celestial wedding open place (Aaru Baita), as tradition prescribed.

The practices of the Endowments department and temple authorities show discrimination between the poor and rich by fixing entry tickets to view the Kalyanam.

The ground where the Sri Rama Kalyanam is going to be performed has been divided into 11 sectors. The authorities have fixed the entry ticket rate of the Ubhayadars sector at Rs 7,500. Followed by sectors 1A and 1C, fixing the entry rates of Rs 2,500 and Rs 2,000 respectively.

Similarly, devotees have to purchase Sector -1D, 1E and 1F cost Rs 1,000. Entry tickets of Rs 300 to view the Kalyanam from Sectors -2A, 2B, 2C, 2D and 2E.

The VHP state president M Rama Raju, official representative Ravinuthala Sasidhar and secretary Bandari Ramesh said that such distinctions are a clear case of discriminating between the poor and rich and distancing the poor and the Adivasis from the hundreds of years of practice. Besides, such discriminatory practices would further encourage religious conversions in Hindus, they pointed out.

Sashidhar pointed out that the unilateral practices being adopted and imposed on the Hindu devotees amount to trampling upon their faith and constitutional rights by the Endowments department and the temple authorities.

Meanwhile, sources say that the devotees have been charged through sector-wise sales to view Sri Rama Kalyanam. But, when it comes to the VIPs and VVIPs the local revenue and temple authorities go all out to please them allowing them to view the Kalyanam right from the front rows. Either they are charged less, nominally or not charged at all. This VIP and VVIP culture at the Kalyanam has been going on.

The local revenue and temple authorities set aside a certain number of tickets for prominent leaders, politicians, senior officials and other VIPs and VVIPs every year. How many tickets are set aside every year by the officials is a guarded secret among the revenue, and temple officials, the sources said.