‘Tirumala through ages’ gallery at S V Museum : Sri M G Gopal, EO TTD

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‘Tirumala through ages’ gallery at S V Museum :Sri M G Gopal, EO TTD

  • Valuations above Rs.3 lakh for  antique gold ,silver and copper coins
  • Countless coins still in Treasury
  •  Museum showcasing numismatic wealth of TTD
  •  Roman,Mogul and British coins in TTD collections

Tirumala, October 7:The hoary Hundi (collection box) of Lord Venkateswara at Srivari Temple on Tirumala hill shrine is treasure cove of not only wealth but also social and economic mirror of the ageless period of devotees of Lord Venkateswara.

The ongoing exhibition of select gold coins and copper coins at the ongoing exhibition at Kalyana vedika at Tirumala showcases the rich economic prosperity and cultural wealth of the kings and rulers of central province, Srikrishna Devaraya of Vijayanagara kingdom,Tipu Sultan of Mysore and other chieftains of the region.

Executive Officer of TTD, Sri M G Gopal says numismatic collection of the TTD is priceless and one of the most valuable assets of the organization next to its antique jewellery and the divine, hoary temple of Lord Venkateswara. ‘These exotic and cherished collections are from donations made by invisible devotees of Lord Venkateswara and an infotainment of knowledge  and culture of the period it belonged ’, he  says.

Sri Vijay Kumar, the chief of S V Museum says that the TTD has a vast collection of such coins and only about 1213 gold coins and 1382 copper have been chosen for display at   the museum.‘We have brought only few for the exhibition and move them back to Museum every night for security ‘he said.

Speaking about the district valuation and social, cultural and artistic value of coins, he said TTD had a wonderful collection of British period coins who had issued three types of currency and coins for the three provinces under their control. ‘British used Ashrafis (Eastern Province), Mohar’s (central province) and Pagoda’s (Madras province)’he said.

Sri Gopal said the TTD had taken up redesigning and remodeling the entire museum with support from the NID( national institute of designing), Ahmadabad to give a new look and qualitative shape for the display of artifacts,coins,inscriptions and glory of Sri Venkateswaras belongings including jewels,cultural heritage etc.

ISSUED BY THE PUBLIC RELATIONS OFFICER, TTD’s, TIRUPATI