The Karnataka Cabinet has approved 10 acres of land in Surathkal near Mangaluru for a TTD temple modelled on the Tirumala shrine. The temple will offer traditional sevas and rituals, with the foundation stone likely to be laid in December.
The Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) is set to bring Lord Venkateshwara closer to devotees in coastal Karnataka with a new temple in Mangaluru. The proposed shrine will be the second TTD temple in Karnataka after Bengaluru and the first in the coastal region. The temple is expected to provide devotees in the region with easier access to the rituals and sevas traditionally performed at the Tirumala shrine.
The new temple will come up in the Badaga Ekkaru hill area of Surathkal, on the outskirts of Mangaluru. The TTD plans to develop the temple in the style of the original Tirumala shrine, with construction expected to be completed within two years.
At present, Bengaluru has the only TTD temple in Karnataka. Mangaluru will soon have the second one. The Karnataka Cabinet has approved 10 acres of land for the project during a recent meeting chaired by Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar. TTD board member R.N. Darshan has been actively involved in pursuing the project. Following Mangaluru, the board is also planning to propose a new TTD temple in Belagavi.
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What Will The Temple Offer?
The Mangaluru temple will be modelled on the Tirumala shrine, with priests performing several traditional sevas at the temple. Devotees will be able to attend daily rituals, including Suprabhata, Kalyanotsava and Brahmotsava.
The 10-acre campus will also feature a Kalyana Mantapa, or marriage hall. The TTD plans to allow members of the public to conduct weddings at the facility.
Foundation Stone Likely In December
The TTD plans to lay the foundation stone for the temple in December, subject to the completion of the necessary formalities. The temple is expected to open to devotees within two years of the start of construction.
The state government has allotted 10 acres of land to the TTD, against the 15 acres requested for the project. The TTD board will finalise the temple's blueprint and begin construction after the lease deed registration is completed.
Why Is TTD Building Temples Outside Tirupati?
Devotees from across India, including coastal Karnataka, travel to Tirumala in Andhra Pradesh for darshan of Lord Venkateshwara. The large number of pilgrims often results in heavy crowds and long waiting times.
As part of its plans to make darshan more accessible to devotees, the TTD is proposing to establish Venkateshwara temples in different parts of the country. Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu has also proposed setting up such temples in various states, including Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Assam, Maharashtra and Bihar.
The TTD sought land in Mangaluru as part of this broader plan, and the Karnataka government has now approved the allotment.
“A large number of devotees travel to Tirumala Tirupati from the coastal parts of Karnataka. Keeping this in mind, the TTD is building a new temple in Mangaluru after Bengaluru. CM D.K. Shivakumar has approved 10 acres of land in the Cabinet for this, and we plan to lay the foundation stone by December. I want to thank Deputy CM Dr. Parameshwar, Minister Ramalinga Reddy, MP Kumar Naik and former MP D.K. Suresh for their support.” - RN Darshan, Board Member, TTD
