MUMBAI, INDIA, August 20, 2006: The Sai Baba Sansthan Trust, Shirdi, has decided to buy a 200 pound gold throne for Sai Baba worth US$4.73 million, says this article. Trust chairperson Jayant Sasane told TOI on Thursday that it would take at least six months to replace the existing silver throne with a gold one. “We have floated a tender for the throne,” the trust’s chief executive officer B.R. Wakchaure said. “We had installed the silver throne weighing 110 pounds in 2000, but a gold throne would give the icon of Baba a majestic look,” he added. The trust already has around 55 pounds of gold donated by devotees. It will buy the remaining gold from the market. It has received US$118,000 for the ambitious project. “A devotee has promised to donate US$215,000. in the next few days,” Wakchaure said. “Without touching the existing funds of the temple, it will be possible for us to install the gold throne,” a temple official stated. Temple authorities have decided to upgrade security. Apart from local police, the temple is guarded round-the-clock by 50 ex-army personnel hired by the trust and is planning to install a state of the art security system.
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