Tirupati temple hundi records highest post-demonetisation collection at Rs 4.75 cr

Tirupati: The offering box at the hill shrine of Lord Venkateswara at Tirupati on Monday netted cash offerings to the tune of Rs 4.75 crore in new notes, the highest single day collections post-demonetisation.

"Since the announcement of demonetisation scheme, everyday the hundi (offering box) had collected between Rs 2.5 and Rs 3 crore, besides offerings in gold and silver, from thousands of devotees across the country, who are undeterred by demonetisation," temple sources said.

Monday's collection surprised the temple staff when they emptied the seven-foot high hundi for counting as a single offering of over Rs 1 crore was found in a bag along with other cash and precious kind offerings, the sources said.

In April 2012, on the auspicious 'Sri Rama Navami' day, the hundi had received the biggest single day cash offerings of Rs 5.73 crore and it was the highest collection ever in the hill shrine's history, besides other precious offerings, they added.