Founder family members demand joint custody of Secunderabad Ujjaini Mahankali temple

Hyderabad: There is an air of excitement at the Secunderabad Ujjaini Mahankali temple as it prepares for the Bonalu festival but for the founding family members getting the act together is no easy task.

Sooriti Krishna, the heir of Sooriti Appayya now playing key role in conduct of Bonalu festival says, “The state government sanctioned only Rs 5 lakh last year and the expenditure exceeded Rs 80 lakh. He lamented that there is no recognition for them.

He said that the Jathara performed with 42 traditional occupations but there is no proper financial support from the Government. He said that this year State government released Rs 15 crore for Bonalu festival.

Krishna demanded sanctioning of Rs 25 lakh to Jathara arrangements as against Rs 5 lakh last year. As a founder family, he asked for joint custody and accountability on each and every activity. He lamented that low grade employee at temple get monthly salary of Rs 40,000 but they are getting Rs 10,000 as allowance. He urged the department to avoid political parties influence on temple’s day to day activities. He asked to organise the festival irrespective of castes and politics.

He also demanded dues of Rs 4,11,000 for them under expenses for the temple during festival since 2014. He said that Nizam rulers Rs 5,000 to Jathara from revenue of the temple. He said that those days their family got 45 silver coins from income of the temple. Present chairman and son of Sooriti Krishna, Sooriti Kameshwar asked share to their family in temple income. He also asked to treat them on par with local legislator, corporator and temple EO in development programs.

BY K B Ramesh