The much awaited temple of Sri Venkateswara Swamy, famous as Tirupati Balaji, will be completed soon with the cooperation of the people as work is in full swing, official sources in Jammu and Kashmir administration said.
The Bhoomi Pujan ceremony for construction of Sri Venkateswara Swamy Temple by Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) was held here on June 13 amidst the presence of Union Minister Dr Jitendra Singh, Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor, Manoj Sinha, Union MoS Home, G Kishan Reddy and Chairman TTD Board, Y V Subba Reddy.
“Thousands of people every year visit the original temple of Tirupati Balaji from Jammu and their faith has ultimately paid them. God himself is coming to Jammu to shower blessings upon people of Jammu and Kashmir,” said Nirupam, a local staying close to the site of the temple.
However, official sources in the administration said that ‘Bhoomi Pujan’ ritual is already performed while tenderization and other formalities are also completed in the past three to four months and finally the work has been started by the executing agency, which is in full swing.”
“People are very supportive and with their cooperation besides favourable weather conditions, the temple is expected to be completed much earlier than the scheduled period,” a senior administrative official told
He added that the specialists in stone work will soon be coming from South India and visiting the site, adding, “the temple in Jammu is being constructed on the Dravidian model.”
“Land was allotted by the Jammu Development Authority and the digging work has been executed,” he said, stating that once slabbing will be completed, special ‘Black Stone’ (Granite) after carving, will be imported and be fitted at the temple site.
“Many people all over the country have belief and faith in the Lord Tirupati Balaji. We are sure that it will also boost the pilgrimage tourism in the region,” official added.
Renowned contractor from Hyderabad, who has many feats of constructing prestigious temples across the country, is taking care of the entire construction work of the temple with the executing agency.
The Temple is dedicated to Venkateswara, a form of Vishnu, who is believed to have appeared here to save mankind from trials and troubles of Kali Yuga.
The temple is also known by other names like Tirumala Temple, Tirupati Temple, Tirupati Balaji Temple.
On June 13, the Bhoomi Pujan ceremony for construction of Sri Venkateswara Swamy Temple by Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) was held here at village Majeen to give a major push to religious and pilgrimage tourism in Jammu and Kashmir.
Lieutenant Governor, Manoj Sinha unveiled the plaque to mark the laying of foundation stone and said that the magnificent divine temple when completed will be a centre of faith as well as destination of spirituality.
Union Minister Dr Jitendra Singh asserted that the Jammu City and in fact the entire Jammu region, is known as the land of temples, after its foundation, new vistas to open for Jammu.
Spreading over 62 acres of land, the temple is expected to be completed in two phases, at the cost Rs 33.22 cr.
The prestigious project will include a host of pilgrimage facilities and other Educational and Developmental infrastructure like Veda Pathshala- classrooms, hostel building and staff quarters; pilgrims’ amenities complex, Kalyanamandapam, Vahanamandapam etc.
The Jammu and Kashmir Government has granted the land to the TTD Board on a lease basis for a period of 40 years.