Tirupati: In an unprecedented move, the administration of the Lord Venateshwara temple at Tirupati has suspended its senior priest AV Arunkumar for applying 'Tengalai' nama instead of approved 'Vadagalai' nama to the main deity the Lord Venkateshwara statue at the World's richest temple. Interestingly, Arunkumar is the son of temple's high profile chief priest AV Ramana Dikshitulu. Disciplinary action has been taken on the basis of a complaint filed by the traditional chiefs of Tirupati Mutt.
For those who do not know, there are two main sects of Sri Vaishnavism called Thenkalai and Vadakalai. The Vadakalai sect wear their namam, or thiruman in a "U" shaped pattern with manjal or yellow.
And the Thenkalai sect wear it in a "Y" shaped pattern with kunkumam or red.
The rivalry between Vadagalai and Tengalai at the Tirupati temple is centuries old and they have been fighting for the supremacy for a long time. Only the trained Vaikanasa tradition priests are allowed to apply nama to the statue of Lord Venkateshwara. They use camphor and kunkumam to make the paste which is used for nama. This ritual happens every day morning and the nama on the forehead of the 128 feet tall statue can be seen from a furlong distance. The chief priest Ramana Dikshitulu has denied the charges.
Tirupati temple is the richest Hindu temple in the World and the second richest religious place after the Vatican in the World.
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