Promising an exclusive building for the Brahmin community in Hyderabad, Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao urged the archakas to improve their competencies and win the trust of people.
The archakas should keep their tradition alive to infuse faith in other communities. “Spiritual wealth is more important than material wealth. If spiritual wealth is lost, character is lost,” he said at the Telangana Archaka Samakhya meeting here on Friday at the Kakatiya Degree College grounds.
The government will enhance expenditure from Rs. 2,500 to Rs. 6,000 per month for the maintenance of temples.
“The earlier State government did nothing for temples except interfere in their affairs. I wonder how the government took money from temples through endowment but did not make any budgetary provisions? We will ensure that this stops and ensure budgetary allocation for the endowments department too,” the Chief Minister said.
Mr. Chandrasekhar Rao said that it was social customs, traditions and spiritual values that help people in society. They should be protected at any cost though there is no threat to Hindu dharma. Archakas should take the lead in protecting and propagating values. The State government will address all their problems before the end of February, the Chief Minister promised.
Spiritualist Chinna Jeeyar Swamy, addressing the archakas, wanted them to ensure that their attire, skills and conduct were in tune with the expectations of society.
“If you live according to tradition, you will bring glory to your profession,” he said, urging the Chief Minister to use his good offices to safeguard traditional values and address the problems of archakas.
Chinna Jeeyar Swamy also wanted the Chief Minister to reject proposals to turn temples into tourism and entertainment spots. By all means, the sanctity of temples should be protected, he said. Samakhya president Gangu Upendra Sharma, G.V.S. Srinivasa Chary, I. Satyamohan, Vedic scholar Gangu Manikanta Sharma, Deputy Chief Minister T. Rajaiah, MLAs D. Vinay Bhaskar and B. Shankar Naik, MP K. Srihari and others were present.
