Durga temple earns Rs 14.71 cr income

Vijayawada: Sri Durga Malleswara Swamyvarla Devasthanam (Sri Kanaka Durga temple) earned Rs 14.71 crore income during the Dasara festivities which concluded recently. The total revenue this year touched Rs 14 crore mark with the addition of the Hundi offerings of Rs 8.73 crore.

Meanwhile, the number of pilgrims who visited the temple during the Dasara festivities including Bhavainis has crossed 12 lakh.

Disclosing the details in a press conference at Sri Mallikharjuna Maha Mandapam here on Thursday, Kanaka Durga temple EO K S Ramarao said that with the support and coordination of all the departments and public, the festivities were conducted successfully. He said that 12,02,678 devotees visited the temple and had darshan of Goddess Kanaka Durga from October 15 to October 26. After completion of the festivities on October 23, around three lakh Bhavanis visited the temple between 24th October to 26th.

As many as 1,41,586 Bhavanis on October 24. On 24th 1,41,586 Bhavanis, on 25th 1,13,368 and on 26th 77,492 Bhavanis thronged the temple, he added.

He further said that on the first day of the celebrations, 98,972 pilgrims visited the temple and on the 6th day and the day of Moola Nakshtram, as many as 1,48,780 devotees visited the temple and the temple authorities facilitated darshan from 2 am on that day.

The EO said that the temple priests had succeeded in changing alankarams from time to time even though they had a short time. He further said that the Chief Minister’s visit was also a massive success on the Moola Nakshatra day. Archaka Sabha and Veda Sabha also received a huge response where 400 Vedic scholars attended and recited Vedic hymns.

The temple had received a huge income of Rs 14,71,94,317 from the sale of tickets and Hundi offerings, EO Rama Rao informed.

He further said that the temple received Rs 3,77, 34,585 through sale of laddu prasadams and through sale of Rs 500, Rs 300 and Rs 100 tickets, it earned Rs 2.9 crore. Similarly, tonsure ticket brought Rs 58.47 lakh income.

The EO said that 25,15,639 laddu prasadam tickets, 25,119 Rs 500 tickets, 18,249 Rs 300 and 35,008 Rs 100 tickets were sold during the festivities.

Besides, Paroksha and Pratyaksha Laksha Kumkumarchana tickets, Chandi Homam, Sri Chakra Navrachana, Kadgamalarchana, Ashthottranamarchana and others seva tickets, the temple earned a huge income, the EO explained.

Temple trust board chairman Karnati Rambabu, executive engineers K V S KoteswaraRao, Lingam Ramadevi, Sthanacharya Vishnubotla Sivaprasad Sharam, trust board members Ch Simahachalam, B Madhavi Krishna, K Nagamanhi, AEO P Chandra Shekhar, Sudharani, N Ramesh, B Venkata Reddy, Vedic committee member Sankara Sandilya and others participated in the meeting.