Vizag: Sri Venkateswara Swamy temple to open on March 23

Visakhapatnam: Sri Venkateswara Swamy temple at Rushikonda will be thrown open on March 23. Special pujas will be held from March 18 - 23 on the lines of Tirumala temple. The temple has been built by Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) atop a hill near Rushikonda.

Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy is likely to visit the temple on March 23.

On March 23, Vigraha Prathista will be held between 9 a.m. and 11.30 a.m. Later Mahasamprokshana would be performed. Darshan will be allowed from 1.30 p.m. to 6.30 p.m. and 7.30 p.m. to 8.45 p.m on the same day. Two days ago, Minister of Endowments Vellampalli Srinivas along with TTD Chairman YV Subba Reddy and TTD EO KS Jawahar Reddy met CM. They invited him to attend the idol installation ceremony.

About the temple

Spread over 10 acres of land, the temple has been built by TTD at Rs 28 crore. It is located near Rushikonda beach. Initially, the temple was to be thrown open on August 13, 2021, but had to be delayed. The temple is modeled on the Tirupati shrine. A 500-meter ghat road has been constructed to reach the temple.

Lord Hanuman's idol will be installed near Lord Venkateswara's statue. Two temples for -Goddesses Bhoodevi and Sridevi have also been constructed beside the main temple. All the carvings for the deities were done at the SV Institute of Traditional Sculpture and Architecture (SVITSA) in Tirupati.

The temple also has a prayer hall to accommodate 150 people. It also has a function hall for conducting marriages, and a restroom for devotees.