BENGALURU, October 16 — The Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) has given the green light for the construction of a new Tirupati temple and Kalyana Mantapa (wedding hall) in Mangaluru, said to TTD member S. Naresh Kumar.
Speaking in Bengaluru today during the release of the TTD’s 2026 calendar and diary, Kumar confirmed that the proposal had been brought before the TTD governing board at a recent meeting and received approval.
“The board has given its assent to the proposal,” Naresh Kumar stated. He added that the construction work is contingent upon the Karnataka government formally allotting the land for the project.
2026 Calendar and Diary Launched
The event also served as the platform for the unveiling of the TTD’s 2026 calendar and diary. TTD member Sri S. Naresh Kumar and TTD Bengaluru Temple Superintendent Jayanti presented the new publications.
The calendars are priced to be accessible to all devotees, ranging from a low of ₹15 up to ₹450. The diaries will be available in the ₹120 and ₹130 price brackets.
TTD Member Dismisses Claims on Tirupati’s Past
In a related development, S. Naresh Kumar took strong exception to recent remarks made by Buddhist thinker Jayadevi Gaikwad, who claimed that Tirupati was historically a Buddhist site.
Kumar dismissed the assertion as “absolutely laughable.” He strongly criticized the practice of leveraging religious topics merely for “fame and publicity,” stating that such manipulation of religion is improper.