Date:14/10/2005 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2005/10/14/stories/2005101417791300.htm

National

Record income for Tirumala temple

Staff Reporter

TIRUMALA: The temple of Lord Venkateswara netted a record income of Rs.9.06 crores during the nine-day Brahmotsavam which concluded on Wednesday.

Briefing mediapersons on Thursday, TTD Executive officer A.P.V. Narayana Sarma said that this income surpassed last year's collection by Rs.2.68 crores.

A major chunk was derived through the temple hundi, which netted Rs.6.34 crores against Rs.4.07 crores last year. Apart from this the temple had received Rs.1.49 crores (against Rs.1.19 crores last year) by way of sale of darshan tickets and Rs. 81.06 lakhs (Rs. 80.88 lakhs) through the sale of the laddus.

About 4.71-lakh pilgrms had darshan of the presiding deity compared to 3.53 lakhs last year. Under the Nitya Annadanam scheme, 3.88-lakh pilgrims were given free food. Besides this, the TTD distributed about 2.27-lakh free food packets to pilgrims waiting in darshan lines.

The nine-day event passed off without any untoward incident. Extending thanks to the engineering personnel, he said the officials could complete the widening of the `mada' streets encircling the holy shrine in a record time despite odds.