Tirumala temple receives record-high Hundi offerings; Ambani donates Rs 1.5 crore

Reliance Industries chairman and managing director Mukesh Ambani donated Rs 1.5 crore to the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) on Friday.

Ambani had the darshan of Lord Venkateshwara and after offering prayers in the hill shrine paid a visit to the SV Goshala in Tirumala.

Meanwhile, pilgrim footfalls were steadily increasing and Hundi donations in the famous temple were also at record-high amounts in the recent months.

While the temple was, in an unprecedented manner, closed for about three months in 2020 as the first Covid-19 wave hit the country, pilgrims’ visits, and thereby the temple revenues, were hit thereafter in 2021, too, because of the pandemic prevalence.

According to TTD officials, Hundi collections of Tirumala temple were “highest ever in temple history” for the month of August, standing at Rs 140.34 crore for the 31-day period.

The closest amount was earlier in May, when Rs 130.29 crore came in the form of Hundi offerings from devotees.

Meanwhile, the TTD was gearing up to conduct the annual Salakatla Brahmotsavam from September 27.

Unlike during the period with Covid-19 restrictions, after a gap of two years all vahana sevas will be held daily in the open in the holy Mada streets: in the mornings and evenings with public participation.

While the Ankurarpanam is on September 26 evening, the most awaited Garuda Seva is on October 1.