Jammu and Kashmir Lt Governor Manoj Sinha on Thursday day said that Sri Venkateswara is the Virat Swarup of the Hindu Sanatana Dharma and he travelled from Seshachala Ranges to reach Jammu today to bless the people of this place bestowed with peace and prosperity”.
Addressing after the opening of Sri Venkateswara Swamy temple in the Majin village in Jammu, after Maha Samprokshanam, Sinha said, Lord Venkateswara is fondly called by devotees by different names as Balaji, Govinda, Srinivasa and many more. Quoting several shlokas from Bhagavat Gita and references from religious texts, he said, Lord Venkateswara is the Universal Supremo who is the creator, protector and ruler of the world. He took the incarnation for the welfare of mankind.
The Governor said, “With the emergence of Sri Venkateswara Swamy temple in Jammu, the people of the state will now have the blessings of Lord Balaji along with Mata Vaishno Devi, Amarnath and Sarada Devi temples.
Under the able leadership of our visionary Prime Minister Narendra Modi, a lot of spiritual and welfare activities have been taking place in Jammu and Kashmir.
With the series of recent religious events that took place in the recent past in Jammu, I am confident that this place is soon to become the hub of the Religious Tourism Circuit, the Lt. Governor said.
I am also happy to state that very soon a Veda Pathashala will also be coming up in this place, he added.
TTD has constructed the temple on 62 acres land donated by the Jammu and Kashmir government in Majin village on the banks of river Suryaputri at Rs 30 crore.
Speaking on the occasion, TTD Chairman YV Subba Reddy said, TTD has taken up the construction of a series of Sri Venkateswara temples from Kashmir to Kanyakumari in a big way with a noble aim to take forward Hindu Sanatana Dharma across the country.
Besides important places, TTD has also been constructing temples in SC, ST, BC and fishermen colonies and very recently Sri Venkateswara temples were opened in Tribal and backward areas of Seetampeta and Rampachodavaram (Andhra Pradesh) respectively, he said.
“An exclusive temple dedicated to Goddess Sri Padmavathi Devi was also constructed in Chennai, the first of its kind in the country, he said on June 7, we performed Bhoomi Pooja towards the construction of a temple in Navi Mumbai which is coming up at a cost of Rs.60-75 crore in a sprawling 62acres of land. Besides constructing temples, TTD is also performing Sri Venkateswara Vaibhavotsavams, and Srinivasa Kalyanams on a large scale to take the glory of Lord Balaji to the doorsteps of His devotees in many places, the TTD chief said.
“On behalf of Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh YS Jaganmohan Reddy, I express my sincere thanks to the Lt Governor Manoj and the Jammu and Kashmir Government for allotting 62 acres of land towards the construction of Srivari temple in Jammu, he said.
The Lord Venkateswara temple emerged at a cost of Rs.30 crore and another five cores will be spent to set up a Veda Pathashala, Kalyana Mandapam, Subba Reddy said.
I also thank Union Home Minister Amit Shaha, Union Ministers Kishen Reddy and Jitender Singhji, and other dignitaries, for extending their full support in making the temple of Sri Venkateswara Swamy at Jammu a reality, he added.
Kishen Reddy lauded the efforts of the Lt Governor of Jammu, TTD Chairman and LAC Chief Prasanthi Reddy behind the speedy construction of Sri Venkateswara temple and making the dream come true for the people of Jammu.
Appreciating the dharmic activities of TTD, the Union Tourism Minister said, besides taking forward several spiritual programmes like the distribution of devotional books, and constructing temples in backward areas to avoid conversions, TTD is also doing a lot of social service activities like running Veda pathshala, deaf and dumb schools, super speciality hospitals to meet the requirements of the needy.
I also thank the Andhra Pradesh CM, TTD Board Chairman and members and all the officers who are involved behind this divine mission of the construction of Sri Venkateswara Swamy temple at Jammu”, he maintained.
Jitender Singh, described the emergence of Sri Balaji temple as a celebration of Unity in Diversity as Lord Venkateswara traversed from Tirupati to Jammu to bless His devotees of this place.
MPs Prabhakar Reddy, Jugal Kishore Sharma, Mayro Rajender Sharma, Chief Secretary Dr Arun Kumar Mehta, DDC Chairman Bharat Bhushan, Divisional Commissioner Ramesh Kumar and other dignitaries were also present.
TTD Board members Krishna Rao, Milind Kesav Narvekar, New Delhi Local Advisory Chief Vemireddi Prasanthi Reddy, and Chennai Local Advisory Committee Chairman Sekhar Reddy also participated in the event.
