TTD To train Tribal,Dalits as preists

Tirupati Feb 10: In a Move to ensure social reformation takes place Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) and the State Endowments Department have come up an idea inspired from Kerala Government. TTD has decided to train Dalits and tribal people in the priesthood.

Sources said that "First, the local elders of a Dalitwada or tribal hamlet identify their favorite God to be consecrated in the temple proposed to be constructed by the TTD and unanimously propose the person to be trained in the priesthood."

N. Muktheswara Rao, TTD's Special Officer (Projects) has said that " Eighty percent of the hamlets chose Ram temple, while the rest picked Venkateswara, Ganapathi, Shiva, Durga etc. Interestingly, we are constructing a temple even for Several Naik, revered by the Lambada community,".

Earlier Kerala government has appointed SC /ST people in temples and this has inspired TTD to train the priests .