TTD EO urges to protect traditional Sculpture, architecture for posterity

By Our Special Correspondent

With increasing demand for artifacts made using dry Flower Technology (DFT), Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanam (TTD) has decided to construct a permanent shed at the Citrus Research Station to manufacture them.

Images of Hindu deities are made using flowers and garlands used in temples under TTD. Besides, home accessories like paperweights, key chains, table calendars and pendants are also a hit.

TTD and Dr. YSR Horticultural University have signed an MOU on September 13, 2021 to utilize flowers used in temples run by TTD and provide dry flower technology. 340 women have been trained since September 28, 2021.

So far the women have produced 22,219 A4 size portraits and 850 other works of art worth Rs 1.19 crore. TTD spent Rs.88 lakhs for the equipment. Artifacts are available at TTD information centers in Tirumala, local temples in Tirupati, Bangalore, Hyderabad, Visakhapatnam, Vijayawada and Chennai.

Evo AV Dharma Reddy on Thursday praised the talent of the students of Sri Venkateswara Institute of Traditional Sculpture and Architecture and called them to develop their skills to preserve the traditional arts for the future generations. He was addressing the three-day workshop, which was attended by Ghatankuls and Sthapathis from the states of South India.