Tirupati temple to shine and shimmer in Gold

With donations pouring in from across the country, the cash-rich Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD), the managing authority of the Lord Venkateshwara temple in Tirupati, has launched its ambitious ‘Anantha Swarnamayam’ (golden covering for the temple precincts) project.Initially, work would be taken up at a cost of Rs 100 crore. Sources said that a Bangalore - based contractor, along with TTD craftsmen, would take up the work, for which gold in excess of 600 kg will be used. Now, only the gopuram of the main temple is covered in gold. Under the Swarnamayam project, even the walls and other structures would shimmer in the yellow metal. Sources said the entire project would cost the TTD between Rs 600 and 1,000 crore. The TTD has been contemplating the ‘golden marvel’ project for the world’s richest temple for a long time. Though the temple administration has not set a time-frame, temple insiders said the work would be completed in five years. “We want the Anantha Swarnamayam project for Tirumala to look more fabulous than Sripuram temple of Vellore and Golden Temple,” a TTD officer said.