The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh / Vijayawada News : Substantial hundi collection expected

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, Sep 13, 2004

Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh - Vijayawada

Substantial hundi collection expected

By R. Balaji

VIJAYAWADA, SEPT.12. Staff of the Durga Malleswara Swamivarla Devasthanam, popularly known as the Kanaka Durgamma Temple, is anxiously waiting for Monday and the reason for their enthusiasm is understandable. The temple authorities are all set to open the 40-odd hundis for counting the collection received during the recently concluded Krishna Pushkarams.

Officials optmistic

Temple officials are expecting that the earnings during the 12-day festival to be high as an estimated 16-lakh pilgrims had visited the shrine. Though the festival concluded on September 8, the temple authorities have decided to take up the counting only on Monday owing to some administrative reasons.

The earnings through sale of the darshan tickets and `prasadam' alone have fetched the temple an additional income of Rs. 1.2 crores during the pushkaram period. Since pilgrims are known to be `extra generous' during auspicious occasions, the authorities feel that the hundi collections too would be substantial.

An estimated 5,000 pilgrims from across the country visit the ancient temple located atop the Indrakeeladri Hills. The figure hovers between 10,000 to 15,000 during Fridays, Saturdays, Sundays and other public holidays.

However, the number shot up significantly during the recently concluded pushkarams when about 1.25 lakh people, on an average, visited the temple every day.

The rush was particularly more on certain auspicious days, particularly on the day of the commencement of pushkarams and the last four days, the temple witnessed a daily inflow of about two-lakh pilgrims.

`Sarannavarthrulu'

Considered to be the second richest temple in south India after the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD), the Kanaka Durgamma temple has an average annual income of Rs. 22 to 24 crores. Its present cash assets are put around Rs. 40 crores.

After witnessing the huge rush of pilgrims during the pushkarams, the temple authorities are now gearing up for making special arrangements for the annual `sarannavarthrulu' celebrations that will be held from October 15 to 22 on the occasion of Vijayadasami.

An estimated eight-lakh pilgrims are expected to visit the temple during the period. "It is more or less like a mini-pushkarams for us and we are making all necessary arrangements for the celebrations," the temple's Executive Officer, V. Gopala Krishna. Reddy, told The Hindu , on Saturday.

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