Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu has revealed that divine intervention from Lord Sri Venkateswara Swamy guided his decision to name the state's capital city as Amaravati, which he described as the historic "Goddesses Capital." The Chief Minister made this spiritual disclosure during a significant religious ceremony in the capital region.
Divine Blessings for Capital Development
During his address at the temple event, Naidu expressed his heartfelt desire for the new Amaravati capital city to mirror the grandeur and sanctity of the ancient "Goddesses Capital Amaravati" of lore. He emphasized that his government remains committed to constructing a sacred Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanam (TTD) Sri Venkateshwara Swamy temple within Amaravati, complementing the overall development of the capital city along the Krishna River banks.
The Chief Minister specifically acknowledged the extraordinary contribution of 29,000 farmers from the capital region who collectively provided 33,000 acres of land through the land pooling scheme. "I deeply appreciate and thank all the 29,000 farmers who came forward voluntarily and generously donated their lands for the sacred construction of the Amaravati capital city," Naidu stated, recognizing their cooperative spirit.
₹260 Crore Temple Expansion Initiative
In a significant development ceremony on Thursday, Chandrababu Naidu performed the Bhumi Puja for phase-II and phase-III expansion works valued at Rs 260 crore at the TTD's Sri Venkateswara Swamy temple located in Venkatapalem, Amaravati. The ritualistic proceedings included the Purnahuti ceremony and the formal laying of the foundation stone for constructing the second Mahaprakaram with Chaturdwara Gopurams.
The religious proceedings were conducted amidst traditional Vedic chants by renowned Vedic scholars, creating a spiritually charged atmosphere. Several prominent dignitaries attended the ceremony, including Endowment Minister Anam Ramanarayana Reddy, MAUD Minister P Narayana, Civil Supplies Minister Nadendla Manohar, TTD Chairman BR Naidu, Union Minister Pemmasani Chandrasekhar, and TTD EO Anil Kumar Singhal.
Personal Spiritual Journey and Political Resilience
Sharing personal spiritual experiences, Naidu described Lord Sri Venkateswara Swamy as his family deity. He recalled his childhood days in Tirupati, where he was blessed to witness the sacred Sri Vari Namalu at Mangapuram daily from his residence. The Chief Minister also reflected on various religious initiatives launched from Tirupati, noting that while NTR introduced Annadanam in 1983, he himself initiated Pranadanam Danam in 2003 at SVIMS, followed by Sri Vari Sevakulu and extensive Hindu temple construction programs.
In a remarkable revelation, Naidu shared a life-threatening experience from 2003: "While presenting the sacred silk robes to Lord Sri Venkateswara Swamy during the 2003 Brahmotsavams, I survived an attack involving 23 claymore mines solely due to Lord Sri Venkateswara Swamy's divine blessings."
The Chief Minister emphasized the importance of genuine devotion, stating that he always stands in common queues during Tirupati visits like any ordinary devotee. He stressed that true devotion must be accompanied by humility, discipline, and purity of thought, warning that arrogance has no place before the divine.
Naidu also criticized the previous government administration, accusing them of harassing and causing difficulties for farmers who had trustfully donated their lands with good intentions. He affirmed that the newly envisioned temple would stand as a powerful symbol of faith, protection, and prosperity for the entire Amaravati region, marking a new chapter in the capital's development journey.
