Good response to Kalyanamastu campaign

The next phase of the Kalyanamastu programme of Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams is scheduled to be held on August 26. Campaign is underway all over the State to mobilise support from people for the programme and enlist eligible boys and girls for the mass wedding.

Reports from various parts of the State indicate that the campaign is being received well by people and the second phase of Kalyanamastu is going to be a tremendous success.

"Kanyadaanam is venerated in Hindu culture as one of the maha daanams, because it lays the foundation for a whole family tree to take root and flourish, hence the TTD urges the devotees of Lord Venkateswara to come forward to take part in this effort," says a TTD statement.

The TTD had conceived the prestigious Kalyanamastu - mass marriages programme, not only as a spiritual crusade, to protect Hindu religion and traditions, but also as an economic and social crusade.

For many people living below the poverty line, marriage is a costly affair and TTD's programme of one lakh mass marriages per annum is aimed at helping the poor and downtrodden, who face difficulties in performing weddings in their families, and to prevent them from falling into the hands of greedy money lenders for the sake of performing a marriage.

The TTD proposes to conduct mass marriages twice in a year, in two instalments of 50,000 each and constituted Kalyanamastu Trust for helping the needy. As part of the scheme, the following will be provided by the TTD: Mangalasutram, wedding clothes for the couple, Mettelu and free lunch for 22 persons.