In a radical move that is bound to have wider social implications, the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD), an autonomous trust of the famous Tirumala temple, announced that it would establish a proper mechanism to initiate people from other faiths into Hinduism.
“The platform being planned will be the first of its kind in India. The aim is to spread the values of Sanatana Dharma and facilitate non-Hindus to voluntarily embrace Hinduism,” the TTD chairman B Karunakar Reddy said while addressing the ‘Dharmika Sadas’ (religious conclave) at Tirumala.
“We will provide an opportunity for people of any faith to declare their faith in Hinduism, belief in Hindu gods and adopt Sanatana Dharma, which has been the way of life for centuries,” Reddy said.
He said he was happy that Tirumala, the abode of Lord Venkateshwara, would become the chosen place for people to declare their faith in Hinduism.
Those from other faiths who voluntarily come forward to embrace the Hindu way of life will be trained in Hindu rituals, traditions and practices and this programme will be initiated at Tirumala, the TTD official said.
The pontiffs and religious heads of various peethams and mutts participating in the conclave wanted the TTD to take the lead to spread the message of Sanatana Dharma and check religious conversions into other faiths.
Reddy recalled that in the past, too, the TTD had organised programmes like Dalit Govindam, Kalyanamastu and Kaisika Dwadasi that helped prevent religious conversions in the remote areas.
“The idea is to spread the values embedded in the great epics, heritage, culture and religious texts of Hindu religion among the public, especially the younger generation of today,” he said.
The TTD chairman also offered to extend all possible assistance to the management of the newly constructed Ram temple at Ayodhya in the areas of temple administration and crowd management.
“For several decades, TTD had acquired expertise in handling the temple administration and had not faced any difficulty in handling the increasing footfall of the pilgrims. We are ready to give any suggestions to the Ayodhya temple management in any manner as they deem it necessary,” Reddy added.
Meanwhile, Kanchi Kamakoti Peetham seer Swamy Shankara Vijayendra Saraswati, who participated in the conclave virtually, said that TTD should encourage ‘ghar wapasi’ (welcoming those who went to other faiths back into the Hindu fold).
Sentalankara Sampathkumara Ramanuja Jeeyar of Mannargudi Jeeyar Mutt asserted that the TTD should strive hard to prevent conversions in remote areas. “TTD should work for the propagation of Hinduism and cow protection all over the world. Medical and educational institutions should be expanded,” he said.
“It is the need of the hour that every Peethadhipati, irrespective of the cult they are following, should unite to promote, protect and propagate Hindu Sanatana Dharma in a widespread manner and TTD being the custodian of Hindu Sanatana Dharma has to lead the Dharma Prachara as a frontrunner,” said Narayanjee Maharaj of Dwaraka Sankaracharya Mutt in Gujarat.
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