23-05-2025
Excise minister stresses need to preserve Sanatana Dharma
Kakinada: Minister for Excise and Mines Kollu Ravindra stressed the importance of preserving Sanatana Dharma, Vedas, and India's rich cultural traditions. He stated that Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu has been consistently highlighting this message.
The minister visited the famous temple of Sri Satyanarayana Swamy in Annavaram on Thursday.
He was warmly welcomed at the temple's main entrance with traditional temple honours by Executive Officer Subbarao and other officials.
After offering prayers to Lord Satyanarayana, the minister received blessings from Vedic scholars and was presented with Prasadam and a portrait of the deity by the temple authorities. Minister Ravindra also inspected several key facilities on the Satyagiri hill, including the Smartha Agama Patashala (Vedic school), Nakshatra Vanam, and the solar power plants.
Speaking to the media, he conveyed his prayers for divine blessings for CM Naidu, who is working tirelessly for the state's development and the people of Andhra Pradesh. He said that the temples play a vital role in safeguarding and promoting cultural heritage.
'Daily Annadanam (free meals) is being provided in 21 temples across the state,' he said. He praised the Annavaram temple's initiatives in education and service activities, including the Agama Patashala, where 48 students are currently undergoing Vedic studies with scholarship support. The minister appreciated the temple's strict adherence to ritualistic traditions and lauded the quality and sanctity of the Prasad. He expressed happiness over the temple's daily practice of feeding nearly 5,000 devotees and commended the grandeur of regular rituals like Satyanarayana Vratams, Nitya Kalyanams, and other religious services.
