ASI, Andhra Govt, Temple admin, PMO to file replies
There are no records for the ornaments donated by 16th century Vijayanagara ruler Sri Krishna Devaraya to the lord Venkateswara temple in Tirupati. The Central Information Commission (CIC) has now asked the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), Andhra Pradesh Government, Tirupati temple administration, PMO and Culture Ministry to file their responses on the whereabouts of the treasure.
In its order, Information Commissioner Sridhar Acharyulu also directed the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) to make public the action contemplated by the Union Government to declare Tirumala temples as a national monument with heritage status.
The Commission’s response came in response to the plea of RTI applicant BKSR Ayyangar, who had sought to know from the PMO the action taken by the Government on his representation for declaration of Tirumala temples as historical with national heritage status.
Ayyangar’s RTI query was transferred to various authorities but no satisfactory response was provided to him. The RTI applicant then approached the Commission, highest appellate authority under the RTI, seeking directions for disclosure with regard to his queries.
During the hearing, Ayyangar alleged Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) registered as a trust was not protecting the 1,500-year-old structures in Tirupati as it shelved a 2011 proposal to declare the temple and temples around as ancient monuments under the provisions of Ancient Monument and Archaeological Sites and Remains Act, 1958.
Citing a report of Director of Archaeology and Museums, Hyderabad in 2011, Acharyulu pointed out a 20-member team had found that inscriptions engraved on the walls of the lord Venkateshvara Temple at Tirumala mention ornaments donated by Vijayanagara King Sri Krishna Devaraya.
Quoting from the report, the Information Commissioner said “no ornament” with the temple tallied with any of those donated by the king.
“It is not a wild allegation of the appellant, but a major finding by the director of the Ministry of Culture, which was not acted upon since 2011,” he said.
Acharyulu said the TTD had appointed a self-appraisal committee under former Supreme Court Justice DP Wadhwa and Justice Jagannadha Rao.
The panel had also noted the ‘Tiruvabharanam’ register, being maintained in Tirumala temple since 1952, also does not mention any temple ornaments received from Vijayanagara king but concluded all the items were intact, the information commissioner said.
The panel also pointed out that there was no register for the maintenance of record of ornaments in the temple before 1952, except the information of handing over the jewels by a priest in 1939. It was not known whether all valuable ornaments were recorded in any document and what kind of system was followed to document all old and new valuable ornaments, he said.
Acharyulu said the TTD had not published any action taken report on the recommendations of the Justice Wadhwa committee report.
Ayyangar also alleged that Veyi Kalla Mandapam (Thousand pillared ‘Mandapam’) in front of ‘Mahadwaram’ (main entrance of lord Venkateswara Temple, Tirumala) built by 15th century King Saluva Malladevera Maharaj was demolished by TTD in 2003 without any reason. He further contended that the demolitions could not have taken place had the temples been declared as ancient monuments with a heritage character.