TTD Launches Mana Gudi Program

The joint executive officer of the Tirumala Tirupati Devastanam's administrative board, K S Srinivasa Raju, formally inaugurated the Mana Gudi program at Padmavathi Ammavar Temple in Padmavathi Degree College, in Tirupati, on Thursday.

Inaugurating the program with a pooja performed with vedic chants in the backdrop, K S Srinivasa Raju said that the TTD was organizing the Mana Gudi to mark the auspicious occasion of Sravana Pournami on 2 August, the birthday of Lord Venkateswara. He said that the program would rekindle people's interest in making regular visits to temples.

"The mass spiritual program is being initiated to protect and promote Hindu dharma, which is under threat due to the onslaught of Western culture," he said.

Stating that the Mana Gudi program is being launched in across 13,000 temples across the state, he said that the TTD is co-sponsoring the event with the Endowments department.

He added that he had come to know that the event has been receiving good response from private temples.

On the occasion, devotees to temples were given 3-dimensional pictures of Lord Venkateswara and His consort Padmavati, spiritual books, CDs, DVDs and audio cassettes, by the TTD. They were also provided with puja material, consisting of sesha vastrams and raksha kankanams.

Earlier, Raju presented silk clothes to Goddess Padmavathi Ammavar, on behalf of the TTD. Bhajans, mass sankeertanams and special pujas were held to mark Mana Gudi across the state. (INN)