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Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams

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Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams
తిరుమల తిరుపతి దేవస్థానములు
AbbreviationTTD
Formation1932; 92 years ago (1932)
TypeTrust
PurposeGoverning body for Tirumala Temple
HeadquartersTirupati, Andhra Pradesh, India
Official language
Telugu
Chairman
Bollineni Rajagopal Naidu
Executive Officer
J. Syamala Rao
AffiliationsGovernment of Andhra Pradesh
Budget
₹5,141.74 crore (2024–2025)[1]
Websitettdevasthanams.ap.gov.in

Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) is an independent government trust in India managed by the Government of Andhra Pradesh. The trust primarily oversees the operations and finances of the richest and the most visited religious center Venkateswara Temple, Tirumala.[2] It is also involved in various social, religious, literary and educational activities. TTD is headquartered at Tirupati in Andhra Pradesh, India and employs about 16,000 people.[3]

Srivani trust was set up by TTD in 2019 to promote Sanātana Dharma by constructing temples in SC-ST-BC habitations, renovating ancient temples, and providing funds under Dhup-Deepa-Naivedyam Scheme to those temples facing financial difficulty. By January 2023, TTD has taken up construction of 2,068 temples in Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Pondicherry and Karnataka.[4]

The total net worth of the organization in 2024 is ₹3,000,000,000,000 (US$36 billion) (₹3 lakh crore), making it the richest Hindu temple board in the world.[5][6]

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Establishment and legislative setting

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TTD was established in 1932 as a result of the TTD Act of 1932. According to the act administration of the temple was vested in a committee of seven members and overseen by a paid commissioner appointed by the Governemnt of Madras Presidency. Advising the committee were two advisory councils – one composed of priests and temple administrators to aid the committee with the operations of the Tirumala temple, and another composed of farmers for advice on Tirumala's land and estate transactions.[7]

The Andhra Pradesh Charitable and Hindu Religious Institution and Endowments Act (1969), sections 85 to 91, expanded the provisions of TTD. The number of trustees was expanded from five to eleven with compulsory representation from certain communities. Apart from the responsibilities defined in the previous act, Devasthanam was obliged to promote the study of Indian languages and propagate Hindu dharma by research, teaching, training and literature creation.[7]

The A.P. Charitable & Hindu Religious Institutions & Endowments Act (1987) superseded the 1979 act. The Board of Trustees' membership was expanded from a maximum of eleven to fifteen and the hereditary rights of temple priests and their right to garner a share of the hundi proceeds were abolished. After increased pressure from the priests over a long period,[8] the Andhra Pradesh government made an amendment to the act in 2006, to discontinue these two controversial clauses. It is mandatory for non-Hindus visiting the temple to sign a declaration form before entering the temple, stating that they have faith in the presiding deity, Lord Venkateswara.[9]

Temples under TTD administration

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Main articles: Venkateswara Temple, Tirumala and List of temples under Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams

Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams trust primarily manages the administration of Lord Venkateswara Temple, Tirumala. It also manages many other temples in Tirupati and all around the world. The temples include both historical and new temples which were constructed by TTD itself.

Departments

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TTD has almost all the departments that would be in a government, including production (laddus), engineering (dams and roads), water supply, human resources, transport, procurement and marketing, finance and accounting, public relations, information technology, forest and gardens, educational institutions and hospitals, revenue and general administration.[10]

Services

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TTD provides various services for pilgrims to Tirumala and Tirupati, including bus services, food and accommodation. It maintains the queue management system, facilitates head tonsure and distribution of laddu. It runs information and ticketing centers in the major towns and cities across the country. It maintains various marriage halls, degree colleges, junior colleges and high schools. Sri Venkateswara Central Library and Research Centre (SVCLRC), established by TTD in 1993, houses approximately 40,000 volumes of books, mainly on religion and philosophy. The Research Wing works towards studying and publishing material related to the Hindu religion, produces authentic papers on original sanskrit texts, and provide translations of major Hindu works in various languages, including Telugu.

Dharma Prachara Parishad was established to propagate the Hindu dharma. TTD also helps promote the age-old cultural heritage of India, in the areas of traditional sculpture and architecture, temple renovation and reconstructions and restoration of Hindu sculptures. Complex queueing algorithms and emerging technologies have been evaluated and implemented to manage the huge crowds with Tata Consultancy Services designing and implementing the software and hardware infrastructure for queue management along with other companies.[11]

TTD has released a schedule for every month tickets release.[12]

Darsanam Type Ticketing Dates of Every Month
Special Entry Darshan tickets of cost ₹300 25
Electronic Dip Registration for

Arjitha Sevas (Suprabhatham, Thomala, Archana and Astadala Pada Padmaradhana)

18,19, 20
Payment for Dip Registration if ticket gets allotted 20, 21, 22
Both Virtual & In-person Arjitha Sevas (Kalyanostavam, Arjitha Bramhostavam, Unjan Seva & Sahasra Deepalankarana Sevas). 21
SriVani, Angapradhakshinam, Senior Citizens & Physically challenged quota 23
Online Tirupati Accommodation Quota 25
Online Tirumala Accommodation Quota 25

Annaprasadam

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The food offerings as "Annaprasadams" are being undertaken by TTD in a massive way in the Matrusri Tarigonda Vengamamba Annaprasadam Complex, donated by Matrsuri Tarigonda Ananta Koti Raju at Tirumala, in all the waiting queue lines and compartments of Vaikuntam Queue Complex I and II, footpath routes, etc.

Donations given by devotees equal nearly ₹13 crore every month. Auctions of human hair fetched a revenue of ₹150 crores in 2011 and ₹203 crores in 2012.[13] Temple admission ticket sales fetched a revenue of $25 million in 2007. Laddu, a confectionery, is offered as Lord's prasadam. TTD has procured machines from MICO BOSCH to automate the manufacture of laddus.[14] Sale of laddus fetched a revenue of staggering $10 million in 2007.

Education

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  • Sri Venkateswara Vedic University, Tirumala
  • Sri Venkateswara Arts College, Tirupati
  • Sri Venkateswara Institute of Traditional Sculpture and Architecture, Tirupati
  • Sri Venkateswara College of Music and Dance, Tirupati
  • Sri Venkateswara Ayurvedic College, Tirupati
  • Sri Venkateswara Yoga Institute, Tirupati
  • Sri Venkateswara Polytechnic for the Physically Challenged (SVPPC), Tirupati
  • Sri Padmavati Mahila Visvavidyalayam (SPMVV), Tirupati
  • Sri Venkateswara Government Polytechnic College, Tirupati
  • Sri Padmavathi Mahila Polytechnic College, Tirupati
  • Sri Venkateswara College, New Delhi

Hospitals

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TTD acts as a major stake holder in the following hospitals[15]

Sri Venkateswara Gosamrakshana Shala

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It is home for cattle received as a donation (Godanam). It was established in the year 1956 by TTD and later renamed to S.V. Gosamrakshana Shala during 2004. It is located at Chandragiri Road, Tirupati. It is maintained by Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams based on the funds received under Sri Venkateswara Gosamrakshana Shala Trust. Activities of the trust include providing a good environment, management and food to the cattle. The milk and its products produced here are used by TTD for daily rituals at Sri Venkateswara Temple and other TTD temples.[16]

Free bus services

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TTD runs free buses from the Tirupati railway station and bus station to Alipiri and Srivari Mettu, every 30 minutes. Pilgrims who intend to walk up the hills to Tirumala use these buses. TTD also provides free bus services within Tirumala town, which are known as "Dharma Rathams". There are 12 such buses that pass through cottages, choultries, temples and other places in Tirumala, at a frequency of every 3 minutes in the prescribed time slots.

Further reading

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  • Growth and Development of Tirumala-Tirupati as a Dimension of Indian Civilization, by Talapaneni Subramanyam Naidu, Anthropological survey of India. Published by Anthropological Survey of India, Ministry of Human Resource Development, Dept. of Culture, Govt. of India, 1990.
  • A Study of Tirumala-Tirupati Devasthanams Educational Institutions: Higher Education, by P. Krishna Murthy. Published by P. Krishna Murthy, 1984.

Media and publications

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See also

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References

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  1. ^ https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/andhra-pradesh/ttd-pegs-its-budget-for-2024-25-at-514174-crore/article67788738.ece#:~:text=The%20Tirumala%20Tirupati%20Devasthanam%20(TTD,pegged%20at%20%E2%82%B91%2C167%20crore.
  2. ^ "NDTV Report". Archived from the original on 22 September 2007. Retrieved 13 September 2007.
  3. ^ "TTD – Overview". TTD. Archived from the original on 8 August 2002. Retrieved 15 April 2007.
  4. ^ Andhra Pradesh: TTD's Srivani trust receives donations of Rs 650 crore in 3 years, timesofindia, 2023.
  5. ^ Desk, DH Web. "Lord Balaji's net worth Rs 3 lakh crore; here's how Tirupati temple makes its money". Deccan Herald. Retrieved 21 September 2024. {{cite web}}: |last= has generic name (help)
  6. ^ "How the world's richest Hindu temple earns and spends money". The Economic Times. 26 April 2024. ISSN 0013-0389. Retrieved 21 September 2024.
  7. ^ a b Dr. N.Ramesan (1981). The Tirumala Temple. Tirumala: Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams.
  8. ^ "Archakas gear up for 48-hour protest". The Hindu. Chennai, India. 24 April 2006. Archived from the original on 16 May 2006. Retrieved 19 April 2007.
  9. ^ "In Tirumala, declaration by non-Hindus mandatory". 27 July 2012.
  10. ^ "TTD relies on feedback to improve its services". 4 February 2016.
  11. ^ "TTD to use 'hi-tech' methods soon". The Hindu. 8 January 2000. Archived from the original on 3 December 2007. Retrieved 19 April 2007.
  12. ^ "TTD announces specific dates for release of darshan tickets at Tirumala temple". The Hindu. 15 May 2023. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 1 June 2023.
  13. ^ "TTD Budjet for 2013-14". The Times of India. Archived from the original on 28 September 2013.
  14. ^ "Steps to increase laddu production at Tirumala". The Hindu. 8 January 2000. Archived from the original on 3 December 2007. Retrieved 19 April 2007.
  15. ^ "Major hospitals in Tirupati to work closely". The Hindu. 3 February 2010. Retrieved 18 July 2017.
  16. ^ "Sri Venkateswara Gosamrakshana Shala'". Tirumala Tirupati Devastanams. Retrieved 6 June 2015.
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