Tirupati Temple First Aarti Row: ‘Only the Maharaja of Mysuru has the right to perform the first Aarti in Lord Venkateswara’s temple…DK Shivakumar should not do politics’, scolds Tirupati Board

Tirupati/Bengaluru. The Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanam Board (TTD), which oversees the management of Lord Venkateswara temple in Tirupati, has clearly stated that only the Maharaja of Mysuru has the right to perform the first aarti every day in the temple. Board member G. Bhanuprakash Reddy said that Karnataka CM DK Shivakumar should not do politics in this matter. Reddy said that the right to participate in the first aarti was given only to the Maharaja of Mysuru. This right does not belong to Shivkumar’s cabinet or the MLAs.

TTD Board Member G. Bhanuprakash Reddy has also said that Tirupati is a spiritual place. If Karnataka’s point is accepted, other states like Kerala and Tamil Nadu will also start demanding the same. In fact, Karnataka CM DK Shivakumar had recently said that his government will bring a proposal to approve the inclusion of MPs and MLAs for the first aarti at the Lord Venkateswara temple in Tirupati. The then Maharaja Krishnadeva Raya of Mysuru played a big role in building the famous temple of Lord Venkateswara in Tirupati. For this reason, the royal family of Mysuru has got the right to perform the first aarti held every morning in the temple. The people of Mysuru royal family cannot stay in Tirupati all the time. For this reason he has appointed his representative to participate in the Aarti.

Karnataka CM DK Shivakumar is talking about making the MPs and MLAs also entitled for the first aarti while linking the representative of Mysuru royal family with the state government. Shivakumar had said that he has directed to extend this privilege to ministers, MPs, MLAs, judges or anyone representing the Karnataka government. Shivkumar had said that this would be the most important announcement of his tenure. Through which those serving Karnataka will be able to pray to God by performing aarti. Now the TTD Board has clearly denied that anyone other than the Maharaja of Mysuru will be given the opportunity to perform the first daily aarti of Lord Venkateswara. Now a war of statements may also break out between Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh on this issue. The temple of Lord Venkateswara is in Tirupati district of Andhra Pradesh.