Hyderabad: Balaji temple to make a short film on dowry in Chilkur

Chilkur: Continuing in the path of sensitising people about safety of women and girls, and to steer the society away from objectified love and from market forces exploiting love by corporate companies to fund their businesses, a short film has been planned by the chief priest of Balaji temple. The short film with the real message of the love of Venkateswara Swamy and Padmavathi will be shot on February 14 at Chilkur.

As per the legend, Lord Srinivasa saw Padmavathi Devi while chasing a herd of elephants. Since then both fell in love. When Padmavathi's father Akasa Raja found out about this, he consulted all the priests and decided to give Padmavathi in marriage to Srinivasa. Lord Srinivasa had to borrow money from Kubera to finance His marriage. Thus, Lord Srinivasa and Goddess Padmavathi tied the divine and eternal knot. A bridegroom funding his own marriage is the divine message.

"Lord Srinivasa performed long penance for his divine love. Love is divine not objectified. Srinivasa, the bride groom spent a fortune for his own marriage to wed His beloved. So if you are a devotee of Lord Venkateshwara, at least stay away from dowry, if not spending for the marriage from your pocket," said CR Rangarajan, the chief priest, explaining the messages embedded in the story.