Tirupati Balaji Temple: New Record After Lockdown, Number Of Daily Visits Reaches 15,000

Karishma Jha

Tirumala (Andhra Pradesh), September 9, 2020: After the lockdown was lifted, the glow of devotees is slowly returning to Tirupati Balaji temple. The number of visitors every day has now reached 15 thousand. On Sunday, September 6, for the first time, a record donation of Rs one crore was made. Till now the average of donations was between Rs 50 to 60 lakhs in a day.

However, this amount is still less than half of the donations before the Corona pandemic. There have been four days in 2020 when the amount of donations in the temple has been more than a record Rs four crore a day. On 19th February, the temple received the highest donation of Rs 4.41 crore in one day. On 24th, 26th January and 19th, 28th February, four crores rupees have been received in one day.

Tirupati Balaji Temple is considered to be one of the richest temples in India. The temple currently has a cash deposit of Rs 1400 crores and over 9,000 kg gold.

The temple was closed for the general public on 20th March due to Coronavirus pandemic. The visit started again on 11th June after 80 days. Although the temple was opened on 8th June, the first three days were allowed only for the temple staff and their families. Visit opened on 11th June, a donation of about 43 lakh rupees came in one day, 6000 people came that day for a visit.

The temple trust has a total of 21,000 employees. After the temple opened, more than 750 employees of the temple trust tested COVID19 positive and a former chief priest also died due to the deadly virus. But neither the devotees stopped coming, nor the temple closed.