The ‘Srivari Hundi’ netted ₹26 crore as against ₹24 crore collected during the corresponding period last year, temple officials said.
Close to six lakh people had darshan of the presiding deity at Tirumala temple during the annual Srivari Brahmotsavams, which concluded on a grand note on Saturday. By comparison, the footfall for last year’s festival was around 5.50 lakh.
The number of people who witnessed the grand celebrations outside the temple was estimated to be close to 15.13 lakh.
Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) Executive Officer J. Syamala Rao and Additional Executive Officer Ch. Venkaiah Chowdary, who spoke to the media on Saturday, pointed to the rise in temple revenue in the form of collections into the ‘Srivari Hundi’, which netted ₹26 crore as against ₹24 crore collected during the corresponding period last year.
The TTD had made elaborate arrangements to serve food to the devotees waiting in the queue lines, galleries and other places. About 26 lakh servings were provided to the devotees, which, again, was higher than last year’s count by 10 lakh servings.
The cultural and spiritual programmes turned out to be a highlight this year. As many as 6,884 artistes belonging to 261 cultural troupes and representing 18 States, performed various art forms to keep the devotees spiritually engaged.
Adding exuberance to the grand event, 40 tonnes of flowers, 3.5 lakh cut flowers and 80,000 seasonal flowers were used in decorating the temple precincts, the processional deities, the carriers (Vahanams) and the surroundings. Similarly, electrical illumination representing various mythological characters and episodes in the form of 3D figurines enchanted the visitors.
The Public Relations Department came up with a comparative photo gallery titled ‘Nadu Nedu’ (Then and Now), showcasing pictures of Tirumala over the years.
Mr. Syamala Rao also mentioned the deployment of digital cameras by Sri Venkateswara Bhakti Channel (SVBC) for live telecasting of the proceedings, besides beaming them on 23 giant digital screens placed on the four Mada streets and nine outside the temple.
Published – October 13, 2024 08:16 pm IST
