TIRUPATI, INDIA, October 13, 2005: The famous hill shrine of Lord Venkateswara at Tirumala near here has fetched a record total collections of about US$2 million during the nine-day annual Brahmotsavam festivals that concluded on October 12. The TTD Executive Officer, A. P. V. N. Sarma told the press at Tirumala this afternoon that this Brahmotsavam had about 30% more income than last year during the same period. Of this, the temple hundi (the 7-foot-high offering box) alone has netted about $1.4 million besides gold, silver and other precious offerings deposited by thousands of devotees in the hundi, while the worship tickets accounted for $340,000 and the sale of laddu prasadams amounted to $184,000, Mr. Sarma said.
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