Beneath the timeless chants that reverberate through the sanctum sanctorum of the hilltop shrine of Lord Venkateswara, a quiet unease has crept into the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanam (TTD) administration.
Hereditary priests serving at the revered temple have appealed to the management to ease their workload by hiring more archakas, pointing out that the demands of the rituals are stretching the existing workforce to the limit.
In a statement submitted to TTD Chairman BR Naidu, Managing Director Anil Kumar Singhal and Additional EO Venkaiah Chowdary, the priests urged for the recruitment of qualified hands well versed in Veda, Agama and temple traditions. In particular, they emphasized that eligibility should rest on ritual competence, even if this meant recruiting priests beyond traditional mirasidar families.
The hereditary families of Gollapalli, Peddinti, Paidipalli and Tirupatamma have served the hill temple for generations. Currently, about 49 archakas, mostly drawn from these lines, and a few non-mirasidars are responsible for maintaining the demanding ritual calendar. Nearly 450 festivals and sevas held daily, weekly, fortnightly and annually are held every year inside the temple in strict adherence to the Agama Sastras, leaving little room for respite.
Citing recurring shortcomings when families face bereavement, during which customary rites prohibit members from temple duties for a prescribed period, they said similar restrictions arise in certain personal and family rites, inevitably shifting the burden to others. The situation is further aggravated by impending retirements (with more than half a dozen already contemplating retirement in the next few years due to their advancing age), deputations to other TTD-run temples and routine vacations, which together strain the already lean workforce.
With only about 30 representatives from hereditary families currently involved in the shrine, senior priests say maintaining the sanctity and accuracy of the rituals is becoming increasingly challenging. It was in this context that the chief priests sought the intervention of the leadership.
Confirming the appeal, Additional EO Venkaiah Chowdary told The Hindu that the TTD had received the representation and would scrutinize it thoroughly before taking a decision on merit, keeping in mind both the tradition and the temple’s growing demands for rituals.
Published – 24 Jan 2026 19:45 IST
