Where are the ornaments gifted by 16th century ruler to Tirumala temple, CIC asks
In a stern order, Information Commissioner has also asked PMO to reveal the action taken by the Central government to declare the Tirumala temples as national monuments and bring them under the ambit of ASI for protection of the ornaments and the temples as world heritage structures.
The CIC has also sought a reply from the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) and the state’s Culture Ministry.
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The Central Information Commission (CIC) has pulled up the Andhra Pradesh government and Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanam (TTD) — the governing body of the Lord Venkateswara temple — and sought information about the ornaments donated by 16th century Vijayanagara ruler Sri Krishna Devaraya to the deity by September 28. The CIC has also sought a reply from the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) and the state’s Culture Ministry.
In a stern order, Information Commissioner Sridhar Acharyulu has also asked the Prime Minister’s Office to reveal the action taken by the Central government to declare the Tirumala temples as national monuments and bring them under the ambit of ASI for protection of the ornaments and the temples as world heritage structures.
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The commission was hearing the plea of Andhra Pradesh-based historian and activist BKSR Ayyangar, who has sought to know if these ornaments and jewels were still present in the temple’s treasury. He claimed that the TTD was refusing to provide any information to his RTI queries. “They claim that all the ornaments donated to Lord Venkateshwara are safe in the treasury, but they cannot make the record public nor show proof,” he said.
He further contended that a five-member ASI team had submitted in November 2011 that the ornaments mentioned in the inscriptions and engravings on the temple’s walls did not tally with those in the treasury.
In his order, CIC Acharyulu said, “The PMO needs to understand that it was not a simple question of weeding out a representation of appellant, but taking up concrete measures for securing the monuments of glorious cultural past of India…… Managing temple is not commerce and the information is not commercial.”
Inscriptions on walls in the Lord Venkateshwara temple state that in his first visit on February 10, 1513, Sri Krishna Deva Raya donated a “Ratna kireetam” (jeweled crown) of gold studded with 160 emeralds, 423 diamonds, 3 rubies, 10 sapphires, 17 cat eyes, one agate and 1,339 pearls. He also donated a necklace made of three gold strings and studded with 1,370 blue pearls, one ruby and two sapphires; a gold pendant studded with six pearls, 60 diamonds, five garnets, three rubies and 11 emeralds.
Sreenivas Janyala is a Deputy Associate Editor at The Indian Express, where he serves as one of the most authoritative voices on the socio-political and economic landscape of Telangana and Andhra Pradesh. With a career spanning over two decades in mainstream journalism, he provides deep-dive analysis and frontline reporting on the intricate dynamics of South Indian governance.
Expertise and Experience
Regional Specialization: Based in Hyderabad, Sreenivas has spent more than 20 years documenting the evolution of the Telugu-speaking states. His reporting was foundational during the historic Telangana statehood movement and continues to track the post-bifurcation development of both Telangana and Andhra Pradesh.
Key Coverage Beats: His extensive portfolio covers a vast spectrum of critical issues:
High-Stakes Politics: Comprehensive tracking of regional powerhouses (BRS, TDP, YSRCP, and Congress), electoral shifts, and the political careers of figures like K. Chandrashekar Rao, Chandrababu Naidu, and Jagan Mohan Reddy.
Internal Security & Conflict: Authoritative reporting on Left-Wing Extremism (LWE), the decline of the Maoist movement in former hotbeds, and intelligence-led investigations into regional security modules.
Governance & Infrastructure: Detailed analysis of massive irrigation projects (like Kaleshwaram and Polavaram), capital city developments (Amaravati), and the implementation of state welfare schemes.
Crisis & Health Reporting: Led the publication's ground-level coverage of the Covid-19 pandemic in South India and major industrial incidents, such as the Vizag gas leak.
Analytical Depth: Beyond daily news, Sreenivas is known for his "Explained" pieces that demystify complex regional disputes, such as river water sharing and judicial allocations between the sister states. ... Read More
