VHP opposes gold plating of Lord Balaji temple

Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) today appealed to the administration of the famous hill shrine of Lord Venkateswara in Tirumala near Tirupati to drop the work on gold plating of the outer wall of sanctum sanctorum, saying it was "an intereference in the religious nature" of the structures.
   
"There is a craze for covering temple walls and other structures with gold. There is no religious sanction for these acts (as) it is the willful desire of some politicians and individuals (to do so)," VHP International Working President S Vedantam said.

In a letter to Tirumala Tirupati Devastanam (TTD) chairman Adhikesavulu, he said covering temple walls with gold would damage the inscriptions written on the walls and other places.

"There are invaluable treasures of our tradition and history behind these inscriptions.. nobody demanded such an action. The total destruction of ancient authentic records by this work is an interference in the religious nature of the structure," he said.

"VHP appeals to stop the work by avoiding further damage to the inscriptions," he said.
   
Late Andhra Pradesh chief minister YS Rajasekhara Reddy had launched the first phase of the gold plating project estimated to cost Rs.150 crore during the last Brahmothsavam festival.