The closure of the lord Venkateswara temple at Tirumala five days before the nation went into a lockdown helped in containing the COVID-19 outbreak, observed TTD Trust Board chairman Y.V. Subba Reddy.
It was a timely decision by the TTD board that averted a major disaster as, even if a few hundred of the 80,000 to 1,00,000 devotees who visit the shrine every day in the normal course were infected, the virus would have taken a heavy toll. The foresightedness of the board had been hailed by experts as a prompt action that staved off the looming threat, he said in a press release.
Though the temple was closed for devotees, all the daily, weekly and monthly rituals and annual festivals were being performed as per the prescribed ‘agamas’.
The TTD performed Sri Srinivasa Veda Mantra Arogya Japa Yagnam from March 16 to 25 and Sri Srinivasa Shantyutsava Sahita Dhanwantari Maha Yagam from March 28 to 30 at Tirumala. Vedaparayanam had been going on from April 10 and would continue till the world is relieved of the deadly coronavirus, he said.
Facilities
The TTD-managed Sri Venkateswara Institute of Medical Sciences (SVIMS) established the first COVID-19 testing lab in the State. The Sri Padmavathi Medical College Hospital was converted into a COVID hospital and Sri Padmavathi Nilayam at Tiruchanoor into a quarantine facility.
The TTD contributed ₹19 crore for the purchase of ventilators and other medical equipment.
Care
Nearly 1.40 lakh food packets were being distributed to the needy every day, he said.
The TTD also came to the rescue of cattle and stray dogs in Tirupati which were deprived of food amidst the lockdown. It had been distributing nearly three lakh metric tons of fodder to the Gosalas in the city in addition to the cattle deserted on the streets, and food to 500-odd stray dogs.
Sri Venkateswara Bhakti Channel was giving extensive publicity to a host of COVID relief activities organised by the TTD while spreading awareness among the public on ways to keep themselves safe.
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