GUNTUR: A Venkateswara temple will be constructed on the hill of Vykunthapuram in Amaravati, by the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanam. AP Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu has selected land along the banks of the river Krishna, between Vykunth-apuram and Undavalli, for establishment of the new capital, Amaravati, in keeping with the principles of Vaastu. The Krishna, which turns north, known as Uttaravahini, and then east before touching the Krounchagiri hill at Vykunthpuram, is considered to be auspicious.
A team from TTD visited Vykunthapuram and proposed that a Venkate-swara temple be constructed at Amaravati, which would cost about Rs 100 crore. Locals demand that the TTD either construct or renovate the ancient Venkateswara temple that already exists on the Krounchagiri hill. There are two ancient temples of Lord Venkat-eswara at Vykuntha-puram and at Ananth-avaram, which have been standing for centuries.
Ananthavaram is a village in Amaravati; and Vykunthapuram is situated at the border of Amaravati, on the banks of the Krishna. The people of the Amar-avati Capital Region seek the construction of a Venkateswara temple at an auspicious site, and state that a chunk of land is already available on the hill for this purpose. Raja Vasireddy Venkatadri Naidu, a zamindar of Amaravati, had donated 824 acres of land for the purpose of worship.
There is no ghat road leading directly to the temple, and so the construction of a ghar road has been proposed. Vaastu Siddhanthi, M. Srihari said that Lord Vykunthapuram Venkateswara is Swambhu, and so Amaravati would become even more powerful with the revival of an ancient temple. The Chairman of the Amaravathi Development Authority, J. Veeranjaneyulu, said that the Krounchagiri hill, which has a view of the Krishna, and has powerful Vaastu, is the perfect place for the construction of a TTD temple which would receive worldwide recognition.
He said that the construction of a barrage at Vykunthapuram, which will store 5 Tmcft of water, has also been proposed. He added that he had submitted a requisition to the effect, to the CM and the TTD. A team of TTD engineering officials led by executive engineer D. Nageswara Rao visited the hill and inspected the ancient temple. They said that a detailed report would be submitted to the TTD in few days regarding the location of the proposed temple. Earlier, the TTD officials had asked the state government to allot them 15 acres at Rayapudi for construction of a Venkateswara temple.
