The ‘hundi’ at the famous hill temple of Lord Venkateswara registered a record income of Rs. 20.24 crore in the last eight days during the nine-day Brahmotsavams.
Jointly addressing the media, TTD EO D. Sambasiva Rao and Tirumala-based JEO K.S. Srinivasa Raju said on Tuesday that the proceeds received from the hundi was 33.5 per cent more than what was collected last year.
While about 6.97 lakh devotees had the darshan of the presiding deity as against 5.19 lakh pilgrims last year, the sale of laddus shot up to over 29.96 lakh as against 22.66 lakh last, year registering an increase of about 32.26 per cent.
The income earned by way of rent on the cottages and guest houses stood at Rs. 1.64 crore as against Rs. 1.22 crore last year.
Statistics also revealed that more than 15 lakh devotees availed themselves of free food under the Nitya annadanam scheme as against 9.14 lakh last year, an increase by 64.59 per cent. Breakfast and repasts stood at a towering high of 8.98 lakh compared to 4.31 lakh last year.
The Kalyanakatta registered an increase by 42.52 per cent with more than 3.45 lakh devotees getting their heads tonsured as against 2.39 lakh last year, while the proceeds netted by the TTD’s publication shot up to Rs. 57.79 lakh with the inclusion of the New Year dairies and calendars.
Interesting were the figures provided by the medical department which claimed to have treated 64,989 patients as against 38,360 last year, which denoted that one out of every 10 pilgrims availed themselves of treatment.
