The Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) would be spending around ₹11,400 on each new couple tying the nuptial knot under its Kalyanamastu (mass weddings) programme all set to be relaunched on May 28.
The main intention of the programme is to create awareness amongst younger generations, particularly those belonging to downtrodden and weaker communities, regarding the Hindu culture and marriage tradition.
Under the scheme, the TTD will provide a gold ‘mangalasutram’ of one gram and a pair of silver ‘mettelu’ (toe rings) to each new couple besides silk clothes and luncheon for 20 members from both sides. This apart, it will also bear the honorarium to be paid to the priest and his assistant performing the sacred rite, expenses towards ‘talambralu’, forehead bands, flowers, music band, shamiyana, banana trunks, materials required for homam and cleaning charges taking up the overall expenses to be spent on each couple to around ₹32,232. However, as some of these arrangements are common for the entire event, the expenditure when scaled up for 100 groups (considering a new couple and 20 members as one group) comes to around ₹11,40,000. The honorarium of the priest was also fixed at ₹5,116 for 10 couples as against the practice of paying him individually for each couple.
The programme was an instant hit when it was first introduced in 2007 with 36,000 couples reportedly availing themselves of the benefits in all the six phases.
To ensure transparency in the spendings, an eight-member committee headed by the TTD Chairman and Executive Officer has been constituted.
New guidelines
A new set of guidelines have also been framed according to which the active participation of Collectors and police officials of the district will also be sought besides the assistance of the Chief Secretary. Desirous bride and groom must be Hindus with faith on God, Indian marriage system and submit a prescribed form with the details of age, rules and regulations of their clan, if any, to the village secretary and MRO concerned for endorsement among other things.
