Simhachalam yet to get a full-fledged: New EO appointed only for a year

Visakhapatnam: In a major administrative move, the Andhra Pradesh government has appointed J Venkata Rao, a senior-grade Deputy Collector, as Executive Officer (EO) of Sri Varaha Lakshmi Narasimha Swamy Devasthanam, country’s most ancient and frequented temple.

Serving as the District Revenue Officer of Kakinada, Venkata Rao has been transferred to the Revenue (Endowments) Department and entrusted with the additional responsibility of overseeing the affairs of the Simhachalam Devasthanam for a period of a year.

While the appointment of the Executive Officer brings temporary administrative relief to the Devasthanam, the limited tenure has once again highlighted the long-standing issue of frequent transfers of the EO at the Devasthanam.

Over the past several years, Simhachalam has not witnessed consistent leadership, a factor that has significantly affected temple development and smooth organisation of major annual festivals.

The absence of a long-serving EO has been particularly evident during key religious events such as Kalyanotsavam and the recently-concluded Chandanotsavam, where coordination challenges and administrative gaps appear to be apparent.

The Simhachalam Devasthanam, which manages nearly 9,000 acres of land, generates crores of rupees every month through donations and hundi collection.

In addition, several temples are affiliated with the Devasthanam, increasing the scope and complexity of its administrative responsibilities. Safeguarding temple lands remains another major challenge with more than 10,000 encroachments reported across the ‘panchagramalu’. Officials and devotees point out that frequent changes in leadership have prevented Executive Officers from resolving long-pending issues, establishing effective control over staff and ensuring hassle-free conduct of festivals.

Notably, over the last five years, EOs have been getting transferred within a short span due to various administrative reasons.

Keeping the significance of the temple in view, there is a growing demand from devotees, temple stakeholders and civil society for the appointment of an experienced and capable Executive Officer with a longer tenure so that Simhachalam Devasthanam can witness sustained development, effective protection of its assets and hassle-free conduct of festivals.