Venkateswara Temple, Tirumala – Under Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanam

Venkateswara Temple, Tirumala – Under Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanam

By the Madras Act of 1933, the management of Tirumala Tirupati Devastanam was transferred and vested in TTD Committee. The Committee was constituted with a favour of Trustees to man the administration of TTD. An executive officer was also appointed by the State Government. After the formation of Andhra State in 1953, the Act of 1951 was adopted by the Government of Andhra Pradesh and replaced it by a comprehensive enactment, namely the A.P Charitable and Hindu Religious Institutions Endowments Act, 1966. It came into force on 26-01-1967. Under this Act, the Administration was under the control of the Commissioner of Endowments, A.P. The legislature has enacted the TTD No 20 of 1979. The' administration of TTD was thus run according to the Act 2011979 and the rules made hereunder.

Formation of TTD:

Madras Hindu Religious Endowment Act I of 1925 constituted the Hindu Religious Endowment Board with a President and 4 members nominated by the government for a term of 5 years to supervise and control the administration of temples and mutts in the whole Madras Presidency as a statutory body, with temple committees in each district. Madras Hindu Religious Endowment Act I1 of 1927 classified temples into two categories. 1. Temple Administration by hereditary trustees and 2. Temple Administration by non - hereditary trustees. Temple committees were empowered to exercise supervision on trustees of non-hereditary temples.

The Hindu Religious Endowment Board was empowered to exercise certain specified powers of supervision and administration over the Tirumala Tirupati Temples. In 1932, Separate Act for Tirumala Tirupati temples was formed. Through this act Tirumala Tirupati temples designated as Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD). A board was constituted with seven members which include the Mahanth also. This was called as the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanam Committee for a period of three years vested with all powers including the power to appoint and punish officers of TTD.

A fulltime officer designated as commissioner who will be appointed by the government for a period of three years to assist the committee which delicate its powers to him. The Madras Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowment Act of 1951 has redesignated Commissioner as Executive Officer with all executive powers. The TTD Committee redesignated as Board of Trustees, reduced to a mere policy making body. The members reduced from seven to five but the tenure increased from three to five years. This was constituted the Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowment Department with a commissioner with head-quarters at Madras to deal with the administration of all religious endowments.

The A.P. Charitable and Hindu Religious Institutions and Endowments act 1966 was increased the number of members of the TTD Board of Trustees from Five to Eleven. The tenure is again reduced from five to three years and created a post of Deputy Executive Officer to assist the Executive Officer of TTD. The Tirumala Tirupati's Act No. 20 of 1979, Section 47 and 48 of the new Act repeated the sections of the old act and certain other Acts. The new Act came into force on the 18 May 1979. Through this act increased the number of members of the Trust Board from Eleven to thirteen. The act was constituted a five members management committee with the chairman of the TTD Board, Commissioner of Endowments, Executive Officer of TTD and two members of the Board nominated by the Government.

This committee was empowered to exercise the general superintendence and control over the administration of TTD in conformity with the policy laid down by the Board. Officers like Joint Executive Officer, Financial Advisor and Chief Accounts Officer are created and appointed by the Government with 3-year tenure. Special grade Deputy Executive Officer post is created on promotion. The latest Act, the Andhra Pradesh Charitable and Hindu Religious Institution and Endowment Act 1987, came into force in Andhra Pradesh and applies to T.T.D also. A new act to consolidate and amend the law relating to the Administration and governance of Charitable and Hindu Religious institutions and Endowments in Andhra Pradesh became law in 1987 and came into force on 28 May 1987.

Chapter XIV of this new act lays down the law applicable to Tirumala Tirupati. Section 96 of the Act provides for the Board of Trustees for the Tirumala Tirupati. Section 106 provides for the appointment of the Executive Officer and other officers. Section 107 lays down the qualifications for the persons to be appointed as Executive Officer and for others. Section 109 and 110 describe the powers and extraordinary powers of the Executive Officer. Section 111 lays down the guidelines to be followed for utilization of the funds of Tirumala Tirupati. Government also has Suo-motto review powers under section 122. It is thus to be noticed that the new act was strengthened the hands of the Government which can interfere and also exercise adequate control over the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams.

Renovations Done under TTD:

The Balipeedam in Tirumala temple was gold coated in 1934-35. The Vimanam has been gilded many times. The first time was during the reign of Saluvamangi Deva in AD 1359. The next devotee who renovated the Vimanam was Amatya Shekara Mallana, a minister under Devaraya II. This was done perhaps between 1417 and AD 1444. Sri Krishnadevaraya of Vijayanagara was the next person who gilded the Ananda Nilaya Vimanam during AD 1518. In AD 1630 again this Vimanam was gilded by Koti Kanyadanam Tatacharya of Kanchi. The TTD built this Vimanam in 1958. Renovation works were started from 1950 onwards.

The gopuram of Sri Govindaraja Shrine, the Padikavali Gopuram of Kodanda Ramaswamy Temple, the gold gilding of kalasam of the gopuram of Sri Padmavathi temple at Tiruchanur remaking of Bimbas of the mukha mandapam in Govindaraja Shrine and Padmavati temple. The construction of Padikavali and inner gopuram of Sri Venkateswara temple are some of the items worthy of mention. The Ananda Nilaya Vimanam for the lord at Tirumala temple was also renovated and re gilded at a cost of Rs. 18 lakhs.

TTD Services:

TTD became the premier religious and social welfare institution which administers a group of 12 sub temples in and around Tirupati apart from the Srivari Temple at Tirumala. TTD also undertook various activities of social relevance, it runs five charitable institutions, eight hospitals and over 250 Kalyana Mandapams, it promotes Indian Culture and Tradition by setting up projects like Annamacharya Project, Dasasahiti Project, Alwar Divya Prabandham Project and Vengamamba Project and by publishing books on Hindu religion, epics, Puranas, Agamas and Temple Art.