Bhongir: Yadadri Sri Lakshminarsimha Swamy temple executive officer A. Bhaskara Rao announced on Wednesday that the gold plating of the vimana gopuram would be completed before the annual Brahmotsavams, scheduled to begin on March 1.
Speaking to the media, he explained that copper plates had been initially fixed to the vimana gopuram but were later removed for the gold plating process. In the first phase, 12 kg of gold was handed over to Chennai-based Smart Creations, the company contracted for the design and installation of the gold plates. The remaining gold will be delivered on November 1. The plan is to begin the gold plating work on February 15 and complete it by February 25.
Rao stated that the Yadadri temple would become the first in the state to have its vimana gopuram plated in gold. He said that the loose ghee samples were sent to the State Food Laboratory at Nacharam, Hyderabad, every month for testing.
Tests for synthetic food colour came back negative.
Rao added that the state government has issued instructions for temples under the endowment department to use ghee from Vijaya Dairy. Currently, Mother Dairy has been supplying loose ghee to the temple for the preparation of laddus and prasadams for 40 years, and the tender would end in March 2025.
Rao mentioned that he has written to the state government for its opinion on the ghee supply, considering that the tender period has not yet concluded. A decision will be made based on the government's response, he added.
