Tirupati temple to give `Bhagavad Gita’ to prisoners

Hyderabad, Aug 22 (IANS) In an attempt to bring a change in the mindset of prisoners, Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanam (TTD) has decided to gift them copies of ‘Bhagavad Gita’.

The TTD, which manages the affairs of Lord Venkateshwara temple at Tirupati, said it would distribute copies of the holy book among prisoners lodged in various jails in Andhra Pradesh.

The decision was taken at a meeting of the TTD governing body, which looks after India’s richest Hindu temple. The board also decided to gift ‘Venkanna prasadam’ or holy offering from the temple to prisoners at least once a year.

TTD chairman Karunakar Reddy, who presided over the meeting at Tirupati, hoped that distribution of ‘Bhagavad Gita’ copies and ‘prasadam’ would bring about a change in the attitude of the prisoners.

The governing body also decided to impose a complete ban on footwear in the area around the temple. In a move to maintain the sanctity of the place, it banned footwear in the complexes and lanes around the temple.

The decisions were taken at the last meeting of TTD governing body, whose two-year term expires Aug 24. The governing body, which completed 75 years last month, is engaged in many social and educational activities

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