The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh / Visakhapatnam News : Free cellar darshan to Kalyanamasthu families

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Friday, Oct 17, 2008
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Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh - Visakhapatnam

Free cellar darshan to Kalyanamasthu families

Special Correspondent

15,000 to 20,000 marriages to take place on Nov. 2

TTD to spend Rs.340 crores on water schemes
‘Ready to build marriage halls, if land is provided’

— Photo: C.V.Subrahmanyam

WEDDED TO A CAUSE: TTD Chairman D.K. Adikesavula Naidu speaking at an awareness programme on Kalyanamastu organised by TTD in Visakhapatnam on Thursday.

VISAKHAPATNAM: Tirumala Tirupati Devasatham will provide free cellar darshan to the newly weds under the fourth phase of Kalyanamasthu programme slated to be held on November 2, along with their parents.

Announcing this at a Kalyanamasthu awareness programme and formal engagement ceremony for brides and bridegrooms who have enrolled for the Nov. 2 mass marriages programme, TTD Chairman D.K. Adikesavulu said that it was expected that 15,000 to 20,000 marriages would take place on the day under the programme. Free gold mangalasutras, silver toe-rings, clothes and also free lunch for any number of people attending the wedding, he added. The TTD was also taking up several welfare measures, including the Rs.340 crore water scheme for the main pilgrim centres in Chittoor district including Srikalahasti, Kanipakam, Tiruchanur, Govindarajaswami temple and Srinivasamangapuram, he stated.

The betrothal of eight couples was formally organised in a traditional manner in front of the utsva idols set up at Kalabharathi in Pithapuram Colony, where the function was held. Earlier, the idols were brought to the venue in a Nagara Sankeertan procession.

Responding to a plea of Pendurthy MLA Tippala Gurumurthy Reddy to construct TTD Kalyanamandapams in Gajuwaka, Pendurthi, Malkapuram and Madhurawada, Mr. Adikesavulu said that if there were donors ready to give land, the TTD would construct them. It was advisable that the land was located in the centre of residential places, he suggested.

Speaking on the occasion, TTD trustee M. Anjaiah said that Kalyanamasthu programme was likely to be held in other States also.

Joint Collector M. Veerabhrahmaiah who presided over the function, said it was interesting to note that as many as 434 tribal couples were among of the about 1,200 marriages performed in the past three phases. While 231 of them were from Paderu, the rest of the 203 were from Chintapalle area, he disclosed, adding that he had advised the ITDA Project Officer to invite more and more tribals to benefit from the programme.

He also said that the response from urban areas was mediocre with only about 50 couples each participating from Bheemunipatnam and Anakapalle. Nor was it any impressive in the city at 291, with 185 of them coming under the Greater Visakhapatnam Municipal Corporation limits, he said . Mr. Gurumurthy Reddy, MLC Revu Ratnakumari, TTD Dharma Prachara Parishad secretary Vijayaraghavachari, and secretary of district advisory council Rambabu, spoke. Kalabharati president CSN Raju and other members were present .

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