Thread by @MadhvaHistory

1. In the Saka year 1446 tAraNa saMvatsara, in the month of vRuschika (phAlguNa mAsa), on 12th lunar day of bright fortnight, Sri Vyasatirtha made a donation to Tirumala temple,

2. This inscription of Sri Vyasaraya [No. 165] issued as 08/11/1524 AD has some very interesting aspects that could help in understanding the roles of state, temple, maThams w.r.t. to the pilgrims visiting Tirumala & Tirupati.

3. According to this inscription, Sri Vyasatirtha has donated 5 villages along with their annual produce to the Tirumala temple & also donated 14,000 nar-paNanams (gold coins) to the temple treasury. He also specified the food offerings to be made to God Srinivasa on his behalf.

4. Here is the list of prasAdam-s (food offerings) to be made to God Venkateshwara on specific days in an year.

5. The sthAnattAr-s (temple trustees) thus arrived at 345 food offerings with varied quantities were to be offered in an year to both Tirumala & Tirupati temples on behalf of Sri Vyasatirtha.

222 offerings to Venkateshwara & 132 offerings to Govindaraja.

6. As a donor of such large grant of 14,000 nar-paNams & 5 villages, Sri Vyasatirtha was entitled to receive a certain 'Donor Portion' from these offerings. In addition to this, two donor portions of Krishnaraya from Tirumala & Tirupati temples were made over to Vyasatirtha.

7. Inscriptions of Krishnaraya bearing Nos. 157 & 158 in TTD Epigraphy list, say that the Raya has made over his donor portion of prasAdam-s to Sri Vyasatirtha.

8. What was being done with the Donor's portion of prasAdam-s received by Vyasaraja for the grants made by him & by Krishnaraya who authorised the yati to receive his portion of prasAdam-s? - would be the question that naturally occurs to an inquisitive mind.

9. To this question, Sri Vyasatirtha himself provides the answer in Inscription No. 165 wherein he clearly specifies the distribution of the prasAdam-s [food offerings] received by him as a donor. See the screen shot.

10. Thus, the temple staff including basket-makers & fuel suppliers, pilgrims & maTham staffs were fed freely on a daily basis. That is how the temple, state & maTham-s were collaborating in providing the basic necessity i.e. food to dependents & citizens at Tirumala & Tirupati.

11. If the temples are autonomous with state interference limited to ensure its independence & if the maThams are run by visionary heads such as Vyasatirtha, our temples can do a better social service than all bogus NGOs put together.

#ReclaimTemples

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