TTD to give proof on birthplace of Anjaneya on April 21

TIRUPATI/TIRUMALA: The Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD), which had earlier announced to present epigraphical and scientific evidence to prove that Tirumala, the abode of Lord Venkateswara, is the birthplace of Lord Anjaneya on Telugu New Year Ugadi, has deferred the same to April 21, the auspicious day of Sri Ramanavami.

“The TTD is all set to declare Anjanadri hills of Tirumala as the birth place of Anjaneya Swamy by presenting mythological, epigraphically, and astrological evidences on the auspicious day of Sri Ramanavami on April 21,’’ the TTD said in a statement on Monday. In December 2020, the TTD constituted an expert committee to study in detail about the birthplace of Lord Anjaneya.

The committee comprises Prof Sannidhanam Sudarsana Sarma, vice-chancellor of Sri Venkateswara Vedic University, prof Muralidhara Sharma, vice-chancellor of National Sanskrit University, Prof Rani Sadasiva Murthy, prof Janumaddi Ramakrishna, and prof Sankaranarayana, ISRO scientist Murthy Remilla and Deputy Director of State Archaeology Vijay Kumar. Dr A Vibhishana Sharma, project officer of SV Higher Vedic Studies, is its convenor. 

The committee, after researching on various evidences to strongly establish the fact that Anjanadri is the birthplace of Lord Anjaneya, said Shiva, Brahma, Brahmanda, Varaha and Matsya Puranas, Venkatachala Mahatyam and Varahamihira Brihat Samhita established the fact that Anjanadri located in Tirumala is the birthplace of Lord Anjaneya, the TTD said earlier. 

TTD STEPS UP EFFORTS TO MAKE TIRUMALA PLASTIC-FREE
The Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD), which is planning to make Tirumala a plastic-free zone, intensified its efforts in that direction.  The TTD, which imposed a blanket ban on the use of single-use plastic water bottles in Tirumala January last, has once again stepped up its efforts to enforce the ban in totality. Awareness rallies against plastic use were held at the Alipiri, Kalyana Katta and the twin ghat roads on Monday.

Although the temple administration had managed to stop the sale of mineral water in plastic bottles last year and made arrangements to ensure adequate drinking water to the devotees through numerous drinking water points, a few devotees, who are unaware of the TTD policy, were found to be buying plastic water bottles in Tirupati and were carrying and later disposing them off in Tirumala