Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha, along with G. Kishan Reddy, Union Minister of Culture and Tourism, Dr Jitendra Singh, Union Minister of State (MoS) attended the Maha Samprokshanam of Sri Venkateswara Swamy Temple of Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams at Jammu today.

After paying their obeisance at the sanctity sanctum, the dignitaries attended the dedication ceremony of Sri Venkateswara Swamy Temple, spread across over 62 acres of land, to the devotees.

G. Kishan Reddy congratulated the people, the J&K Government, and all the devotees of Sri Venkateswara. The temple at Jammu will carry the message in the world that Kashmir to Kanyakumari, India is one. This will be a centre of spirituality and Sanatan traditions, he said.

LG Manoj Sinha
Lt General of Jammu and Kashmir Manoj Sinha along with other dignitaries inaugurating Tirupati Balaji temple at JammuDIPR J&K

It is the result of the devotion and commitment of the Lt Governor of J&K and Chairman and Board members of Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams that Sri Venkateswara Swamy Temple is completed in a short span. Now, the devotees of Shri Mata Vaishno Devi and other prominent religious places can also seek the blessings of Sri Venkateswara Swamy at Jammu, said the Union Minister.

Lieutenant Governor said the inauguration of Sri Venkateswara Swamy Temple is a historic moment in the Sanatan journey of J&K and the country.

Inauguration of Tirupati Balaji temple
DIPR J&K

"The dedication of Lord Venkateswara temple will strengthen the religious tourism circuit in J&K. It will give a boost to spiritual tourism and a major fillip to the economic development and employment opportunities in the Union Territory," said the Lt Governor.

"Lord Venkateswara maintains this world and he is the very basis of existence. His divine blessings continue to guide the journey of Atam-Nirbhar Bharat and ensure peace and prosperity in the lives of people," the Lt Governor said.

Tirupati Balaji temple opens door to devotees in Jammu
Tirupati Balaji temple opens door to devotees in JammuIANS

Dr Jitendra Singh,, while speaking on the occasion, said the historic day will script a new milestone in the development journey of J&K UT.

This Vikas Tirth is a celebration of India's unity in diversity and also signifies  Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi ji's vision of Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat, he added.

Tirupati Balaji temple at Jammu
social media

What's special about this temple?

The Tirupati Balaji Temple in Jammu is the sixth Balaji temple that has been built outside of Andhra Pradesh; the other five are located in Hyderabad, Chennai, Kanyakumari, Delhi, and Bhubaneswar.

All of these temples have been constructed by the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) Trust which manages temples including the Tirumala Tirupati Temple located in Andhra Pradesh.
The TTD is building Balaji Temples all over the country so that those who are unable to visit the Tirupati Balaji Temple in Andhra Pradesh, can visit these temples in their cities.

TTD Chairman WV Subba Reddy said that whatever system and practice is being followed in Tirumala will be followed here as well. The TTD has built Tirupati Balaji Temple a holy place

The artisans who built the temple are from Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu. The stones that have been used to build the temple were brought from Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh.

The Balaji temple, built on 62-acre land at an estimated cost of Rs 30 crore, is set to become one of the largest temples in the Jammu region and is expected to boost religious and pilgrimage tourism in the Union Territory.
The temple falls on the route between Jammu and Katra, where Mata Vaishno Devi temple is located.