Baadude Baadudu In Tirumala Tirupati!

The rise in the room rentals of Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams at Tirupati came in for sharp criticism by the devotees. The prices of Nandakam, Panchajanyam, Kaustubham and Vakulamata have been hiked from Rs 500 to Rs 1,000. Similarly, the rental charges of rooms in Narayanagiri Rest House have been hiked from Rs 150 to Rs 1700.

The steep hike in the TTD room rentals prompted the public to recollect the rise in taxes of various others like fuel, liquor and essential commodities. Netizens fumed at the YCP government for making pilgrimage to the famous Tirumala temple also a costly affair. They criticized the authorities for trying to keep Lord Balaji’s darshan away from the common man.

A few devotees faulted the TTD for doubling the rentals at one stroke without even while not ensuring cleanliness of the rooms and surroundings in Tirumala. The TTD authorities are proclaiming to be serving food free to the pilgrims through Nitya Annadaanam but seem to be charging for it in the name of room rentals, pointed out one other devotees.

On one hand, the CM is trying to create a feeling that he is distributing sops but on the other, he is taxing the people and taking away double that he had given by hiking the prices, pointed out a TDP leader. It is like “Baadude.. Baadudu”, he added.