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Author:
Publication: The New Indian Express
Date: July 16, 2006
URL: http://www.newindpress.com/NewsItems.asp?ID=IEU20060716014538
'Seven Hills cover 250, not 27 sq km'
The Tirumala Tirupati Samrakshana Samithi (TTSS) on Saturday demanded a law declaring Tirumala as comprising all the Seven Hills covering 250 sq km before August 9 coinciding with the Sravana Poornima festival, to safeguard the sanctity and serenity of Tirumala-Tirupati.
A meeting of the samithi held here in the presence of a host of swamijis, including Visveswara Theertha of Pejavar Math and Dayanand Saraswathi, adopted five resolutions unanimously, including bringing under TTD control over 250 sq km covering various theerthams closely associated with the legend of Lord Venkateswara as against the 27.5 sq km under GO No 338.
The resolutions said quoting Mackenzie's manuscript of the year 1801 that the Seven Hills extended up to the Swarnamukhi river near Srikalahasti in the east, Nagapatala Devarakonda in the west, Yerraguntla Thota in Rayachoti Taluq in the north and Pillari Kanuma near Narayanavanam in the south. The swamijis and other religious leaders felt that such a law would ward off any threat of non-Hindu activities on the Seven Hills.
The samithi's other resolutions are: appointment of only Hindus in TTD service, giving up plans to convert Tirumala into a luxury tourist spot, ban on non-Hindu activities in TTD medical and educational institutions and using TTD funds only for spiritual activities.
Speaking on prohibiting non-Hindu appointments in TTD, the swamijis urged immediate steps to deport the 40 Christian employees and any other non-Hindus at Tirumala.
The swamijis alleged that TTD's medical and educational institutions had become centres of proselytisation by non-Hindus. They demanded that the Devasthanams punish those indulging in such activities and identify the officials encouraging them directly or indirectly and transfer them.
The samithi charged TTD with diverting devotees' offerings to other activities, bowing to government pressure. The offerings were meant for running temples, conducting religious festivals and providing pilgrim amenities and propagating Hindu dharma. It also wanted the Dharma "Prachara Parishad" to be renamed Hindu Dharma Prachara Parishad.
Later, the swamijis went in procession from Thyagaraja Mandapam, the venue of the meeting, to the TTD administrative building where a copy of the resolution was handed over to TTD Joint Executive Officer J Balaramaiah.
The Pejawar Swamiji told mediapersons that the mutt chiefs hoped their demands would be acted on before August 9 and TTSS would decide on its future action after that.
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