Foundation stone for Rs 150 cr 'replica' of Balaji temple laid

Foundation stone for Rs 150 cr 'replica' of Balaji temple laid Tirupati, Feb 10 (PTI): Amid chanting of Vedic hymns byhigh priests, the foundation stone for the proposed Rs 150crore Lord Venkateswara temple at Amaravati,a 'replica' of thefamous hill shrine of the deity at nearby Tirumala, was laidSunday by top officials of Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams

The construction of the shrine and its linked structureslike devotees' accommodations, holy tank and a meditation hallcoming up on 25 acres, offered free of cost by the AndhraPradesh government to TTD, that governs the Lord Venkateswrashrine, would be completed before the advent of summer in2021, a temple official told PTI here

On January 31, the TTD management in the presence ofAndhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu, conducted asacred "Bhukarshanam" (ploughing of the earth), followed byweek-long rituals at the site, the official added.