Telangana priest echoes Andhra govt call, says will punish those who celebrate New Year’s at temples

Andhra Pradesh government notification against ‘western’ new year finds support among temple trusts and priests.

After the recent notification of the endowment department of Andhra Pradesh banning new year celebration at temples, several temple chiefs and priests of both the Telugu states too has come out in support of the move.

One of the richest temples of the country, the Balaji temple of Tirupati has also decided not to celebrate the new year on January 1; instead it will celebrate “Ugadi” as the new year. The Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD), an independent trust which manages the Tirumala Venkateswara Temple in Tirumala, Andhra Pradesh, the second richest and the most visited religious centre in the world has taken a decision in this regard.

“We are carrying the same decoration of the Lord, which was done for Vaikunta Ekadasi as it falls before a new year. But, we have never decorated the temple exclusively for New Year’s. It’ll be the same this year too. We only do Vaikunta Ekadasi and Ugadi grandly ”  said Anil Kumar Singhal, executive officer, TTD.

The famous Kanaka Durga temple of Vijayawada too has decided not to make extra arrangement for January 1 and will promote the Telugu new year Ugadi which falls on January 14.

“The Hindu new year begins on Chaitra masam; we are happy to announce that we never celebrated New Year at Kanak Durga Temple. This year however Nataraja Kalyanam falls on January 1 so we are making preparation for that,” said A. Surya Kumari, executive officer, Kanaka Durga temple.

Meanwhile the head priest of  Chilkur Balaji, one of the famous temples of Telangana has also opposed the celebration of New Year; he warned the devotees not to celebrate and wish each other on the New Year in the temple premises.

“People of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana celebrate Ugadi as the new year, but due to the influence of western culture our young generation has started deviating from our culture. I support the stand of the Andhra Pradesh government and I welcome it. Meanwhile I am making it clear that if a devotee comes to my temple and celebrates New Year on January 1, I will punish them. They should remember our new year is Ugadi. I request Telangana government too pass such circulars banning English new year celebrations in temples,” said head priest Soundara Rangarajan.

Earlier on December 21 the Hindu Dharma Prachara Trust of endowments department of Andhra Pradesh issued a notification (RC. No.29/HDPT/2017) signed by its secretary Chilakapati Vijaya Raghava Charyulu asking temples not to celebrate or do special preparation on January 1 marking as new year.

Source : India Today