HANGING GARDENS TO PROVIDE CYNOSURE TO PILGRIMS DURING BTU
• Seven more hanging gardens for Brahmotsavams
• All gardens to be thrown open for devotees
• A unique 600 sq.feet mural Vertical garden at Filter house
• 70% flower donors to Tirumala
• Special flowers and fruits decorations for snapanam
Tirumala, 2 October 2016: With an aim to provide aesthetic experience apart from devotional splendour to the multitude of visiting pilgrims to hill town, the temple management of TTD has come up with the innovative concept of “Vertical and Hanging Gardens” in Tirumala.
This green concept, which is he brainchild of TTD Executive Officer, Dr D Sambasiva Rao is going to be the cynosure for pilgrims during this Brahmotsavams.
AROMATIC PLANTS TO REDUCE AIR POLLUTION :
According to Sri S Srinivasulu, the deputy director of Garden Department of TTD seven more gardens are being set up at Vahana mandapam, Bedi Anjaneya swamy temple,SD Mandapam,Vaikuntham Q complex, Padmavathi guest house ( Main), Annadanam complex and at the filter house apart from the one set up at the main temple over five months ago. However, he said, one more hanging garden will be kept at flower expo on temporary basis till Brahmotsavams while the others remain as permanent structures.
He said the hanging gardens comprises of flower plants and also foliage like creepers and aromatic plants. This will help in reducing air pollution as the fragrance emitted by aromatic plants have refreshing effect that will have the impact.
VERTICAL MURAL GARDEN
TTD has also set up a 600 sqft Vertical mural garden with 12ft height and 50ft width, at the Filter House junction at a cost of Rs five lakhs donated by devotees. The five layered lush green unit will be iconic with landscape, Garuda /Hauman, Srivari Temple, Shanku, Chakra and Lord Venkateswara in the middle. ‘The donor has provided the cost at Rs.1000 for per Sft including the cost of maintenance for one year‘ the chief TTD Garden wing said.
HANGING GARDENS OVER BUILDINGS TOO:
Under the direction of Executive Officer Dr D Sambasiva Rao, TTD is planning to set up similar hanging gardens in all the buildings in Tirumala in a phased manner and the objective is to enhance the aesthetic and environment friendly ambience of the Hill town.
OVER TWO LAKH FLOWERING PLANTS IN OFFING IN TIRUMALA:
Explaining the flower orientation of Tirumala, the Deputy director of Gardens said that TTD had flower plants sprawling over 100 acres in Tirumala with 60,000 seasonal flower plants and plan to plant another 2.4 lakh flower plants including Roses.Jasmine, marigold etc. is on chords.
TIRUMALA CONSUMES 150TONNES OF FLOWERS A YEAR:
He said nearly 120 to 150 tones of flowers were used every year for decoration of Idol, Srivari Temple, premiere guest houses, traffic junctions and important locations on Tirumala to enhance the devotional ambience of the shrine.” Almost 70% of our requirement is met from donors while TTD generated 30% from its gardens “he said. Among these floral donations, Tamil Nadu topped with 40% donations while Karnataka stood next with 30%.
He said TTD garden department had 200 workers of which 40 were flower decorators. “We invite decorators from TN, Bengaluru etc for taking up the decorations during Brahmotsavams– in Srivari Temple and also to all the Vahanams. Special flower decorations are made on Rathotsavam and also other Vahanams as each one has a significance .’Flowers and their aromas are kept intact to bear the heat of the high voltage lights and also heat of the huge crowds. On the Rathotsavam day We decorate the Ratham with a new technique of step by step garlands to keep it fresh and also visible to devotees.
During Brahmotsavams special decorations are made in Srivari temple for Snapana Thirumananam performed at Ranganayakula mandapam on second, third and seventh day with flowers and fruits. These floral arrangements will be a perfect cynosure to devotees”, he asserted.
ISSUED BY THE PUBLIC RELATIONS OFFICER TTDs, TIRUPATI