Temple tourism set to get fillip in Vizag

Visakhapatnam: Nestled in a hilly terrain of Rushikonda, Sri Venkateswara Swamy temple is all set to open for the public from August 13. One of the major projects of the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD), 95 per cent of the work related to the shrine has been wrapped up.

With a host of amenities, the temple, getting readied at a cost of Rs 28 crore, is stretched over one-and-a-half acres, while the entire campus with a parking lot and a guest house is being built in 10 acres.

A steady flow of worshippers is often witnessed in major shrines of Lord Venkateswara. With Visakhapatnam set to become the executive capital of Andhra Pradesh, the focus is more on developing the City of Destiny in multiple quarters. Boosting temple tourism is one among the list.

With ancient temples such as Simhachalam, Sri Kanaka Mahalakshmi, Satyanarayana Swamy near King George Hospital, among others, already adding glory to the cultural fabric of Visakhapatnam, the TTD's shrine is expected to boost spiritual tourism further as the City of Destiny draws tourists from neighbouring states such as Odisha, West Bengal and Chhattisgarh. In addition to the administrative building, dedicated stalls for 'prasad' distribution, parking facility downhill, an arch at the entrance, three-storeyed quarters for the 'archakas' and other staff form a part of the temple premises. Along with the seven-ft-long main deity of Lord Venkateswara, the 'sanidhis' also include Goddesses Padmavathi and Andal, Lord Hanuman and Garudalwar.

Gradually, all the rituals and 'sevas' followed in Lord Venkateswara temple in Tirumala will be dittoed here. "Those who could not afford to go to Tirupati frequently can visit the temple in Vizag. They will also get a chance to participate in similar rituals being carried out in Tirumala temple," says M. Bhanumathi, a resident of Sagar Nagar. While 'Ankurarpana' is scheduled on August 8, 'Vigraha pratishta' will be done on August 13. "Once the Vigraha pratishta is completed, the temple will remain open to the public. Rituals followed in Tirumala will be practiced in this temple too," a TTD official shared with The Hans India.

Currently, the pending ghat road work, connecting the temple uphill from the main road, has been accelerated.

The Blue Flag certified Rushikonda is one of the most sought-after tourist spots in Visakhapatnam.

Apart from Rama Naidu studio, educational institutions such as GITAM and Gayatri Vidya Parishad dot the surroundings. For the tourists, it is hard to give a skip to Rushikonda when they make a trip to Vizag. And those arriving here are likely to visit the temple.

In the days to come, TTD's Sri Venkateswara Swamy temple will be the cynosure of all eyes.