The Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanam (TTD), which manages India's richest temple at Tirumala, Thursday sponsored marriages of over 5,000 couples. TTD organized kalyanamastu (mass marriages) in all headquarters of 294 assembly constituencies with an aim to strengthening Hindu religion, especially Hindu marriage system and to help the poor Hindu families perform the marriages of their children in accordance with Hindu traditions.

The temple board, which sponsored marriages of 5,174 couples at different places across the state at a cost of US$682,000, showed concern for socially and economically backward Hindus, who often become targets of conversions. The TTD authorities gifted 1.28 grams of gold to make the mangalsutra thali, the Hindu symbol of marriage, toe rings for the bride and wedding clothes for the couples. They also arranged food for 20 people each coming from both sides of the couple. The couples tied the knot between 11.52 am and 12. 30 pm on a day which is considered the most auspicious for marriages.

Thousands of other couples were also married in the city and other parts of the state.

Karunakar Reddy, TTD Chairman, said they planned to sponsor 100,000 marriages next year. Another round of mass marriages will be held in September this year. He said the mass marriages were also aimed at creating awareness among Hindus to curb wasteful expenditure. "The poor people borrow heavily for mass marriages and they get stuck in the vicious circle of indebtedness," he said.