Bias alleged in fund allocation to Basara temple

​Basara: Devotees have charged the State government with allocating huge sums to Yadadri and Vemulavada temples and discriminating Basara Saraswati temple.

The devotees are appealing to the government to release funds to implement the master plan for Basara temple development and correct Vastu defects. It may be recalled that noted architect Anand Sai has prepared a plan for development of the temple.

They have pointed an accusing finger at Endowments Minister A Indra Karan Reddy for his failure to ensure release of funds to the temple.

Thousands visit the temple to get their children initiated into education and to perform kumkum puja at the historic temple, which dates back to several hundreds of years.

The temple has no gopuram and mahaprakaram built so far. This is in spite of the temple has good revenue.

According to the temple main priest Praveen Pathak, there are many Vastu deviations in the temple. People enter through the eastern door in all temples, but it is not the case with the Basra temple.

The south-east corner should be elevated, but there is a depression (temple Pushkarini) in the corner. No heavy weights should be placed in the north-east corner. But the temple’s north-east corner is elevated. All these deviations do not augur well for the temple.

Srigneri Matham Seer Bharati Teerthananda Swamy also observed that there are Vastu defects in the temple.

A committee, headed by Anand Sai, has been constituted to prepare a master plan to rectify the defects. Besides, it dealt with construction of Gopuram, Mahaprakaram, Ddhyana Mantapams, reconstruction of queue line so as not to cause any inconvenience to devotees, Dhyana Mandiram, relocating the Pushkarini in the north-east corner shifting it from the south-east. The changes correspond to Agamasastra rules.

Daily on an average over 5,000 visit the temple. The number will go up to 20,000 during April and May. Over 50,000 visit the temple on Vasant Panchami day. But there are no adequate guest houses for the devotees to stay put.

According to a visitor, Lakshmi, there are only 100 rooms, which are inadequate. Private lodges are charging at least Rs 2,000 per single bed, which is astronomical even by Hyderabad standards. Therefore, the visitors prefer to stay in open places.

The temple officials are accused of using the rooms meant for tourists for storing goods. Another devotee, Upendramma, breathed fire on the officials blaming them for not making arrangements to tide over the drinking water crisis. The devotees seek permanent measures to provide them amenities.

Irregularities in preparation of laddus are also alleged. As per rules, a 100 gram laddu should be sold at Rs 15 each. The laddus are hardly 90 grams let alone preparing them using cashew nuts. Moreover, the laddu is robbed of its characteristic sweetness. The devotees seek action against those who are selling sub-standard laddus.

There are complaints about providing food to the devotees. The temple authorities are blamed for serving food only for two or three hours and refusing food to those who come later. The devotees seek round the clock serving of anna prasadam to devotees.

The Papeswaralayam on the premises of the temple was in a dilapidated condition and want the government to give facelift to it. Talking to The Hans India, Basara temple Executive Officer Sudhakar Reddy said measures to tide over drinking water crisis in the temple are being initiated.