On 2nd February, the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) said it will soon explore the option for Muslim “devotees” to participate in Srivari Seva or voluntary service for the deity in Tirumala. The statement came in response to a request from a “Muslim devotee” identified as Hussain Bhasha of Naidupeta. During the monthly “dial you EO” program, TTD executive officer AV Dharma Reddy said there are Muslim devotees of Bhagwan Venkateswara.
Reddy issued a press release in which he expressed his happiness over Muslim devotees’s dedication towards the deity despite the affiliation with different religions. He claimed that devotees from other faiths have donated to the temple. During the ‘dial your EO’ program, he assured Bhasha that he would examine the feasibility of his request.
Srivari Seva was started in 2000. The volunteers provide different services to enhance the services for pilgrims visiting from other parts of the country and worldwide. These volunteers are known as Srivari Sevakulu. They contribute to various sections of TTD, including vigilance, health, garden, medical facilities, annaprasadam, laddu prasadam, temple, kalyanakkatta, transport, book stalls and more.
According to the TTD website, in 1984, a ritual named Ashtadala Pada Padmaaradhana was introduced in the Srivari Temple during the Golden Jubilee Year of TTD. It was started to commemorate the occasion when a Muslim devotee donated 108 Gold Lotuses to the deity. Though there might be Muslim devotees of deity, there has been resistance among Hindu devotees against temple visits by those who belong to other faiths in different temples across the country.
Recently, the Madras High Court banned the entry of non-Hindus in temples across the state. The decision came after a petition was filed against the entry of non-Hindus to the sacred premises of the temple premises.
The Madurai Bench of Madras High Court restricted non-Hindus’ entry into Hindu temples across Tamil Nadu. The landmark judgment came in the matter related to the entry of non-Hindus into the Palani Murugan Temple. The ruling specifically stipulated that non-Hindus and those lacking Hindu beliefs are prohibited from proceeding beyond the temple’s ‘kodimaram.’ Additionally, the judgment emphasised the necessity of prominently displaying notices conveying this restriction at various locations within the temple premises.
It all started when a Muslim family argued with the employees at the temple who denied them entry. Muslim family claimed no boards were barring them from entry and expressed a desire to go to the sacred Hill for photographs, deeming the religious Hindu place as if it was a “picnic spot”. In the judgment, the court pointed out that those belonging to other faiths must not be allowed on temple premises.
