Speaking to “Metro India”, the head priest of Chilkur  Balaji temple CS Rangarajan said that those working in the abode of Lord Venkateshwara at Tirupati were “performing a sacred service” to the God himself as well as to the devotees. Describing the temple as one of the most sacred abodes of “Hindu Dharma”, he said that as there would be a devotional environment in the temple, it was very essential that those working there have utmost faith in Hinduism.

He mentioned how devotees from across the world would stay in Tirumala and Tirupati for days and sometimes weeks also just to volunteer to serve in the temple. CS Rangarajan described this as the sense of “bhakti” and a feeling of “serving the God himself” which devotees have.

He lamented in the name of “secularization”, there was an effort to separate the Hindu society from its religious or spiritual concerns. He lauded the decision of TTD to restrict non-Hindu employees from participating in the activities of the temple and asked for its implementation at the earliest.