The Sri Durga Malleswara Swamyvarla Devasthanam has generated a revenue of more than ₹14.71 crore during the Dasara festival when compared to the expenditure of about ₹7 crore to ₹8 crore during the period, the temple authorities have said.
The Kanaka Durga temple sold more than 25 lakh laddus. The rush of Bhavani devotees at the fag end of the festivities also contributed to the temple revenue. According to an estimate made by the temple administration, more than 12 lakh devotees thronged Indrakeeladri during the festival.
Last year, the temple generated ₹15.40 crore during the Dasara festival and spent ₹6.71 crore on the festival arrangements.
Addressign the media here on November 2 (Thursday), temple Trust Board Chairman Karnati Rambabu and Executive Officer K.S. Rama Rao said that the Dasara festival was organised in a grand manner and there were no complaints over the arrangements from the devotees.
The temple is now gearing up for the events related to auspicious Karthika Masam and Bhavani Deeksha, they said.
“The temple witnessed a devotee rush of 1 lakh per day on average during the Dasara festival. More than 2.34 lakh devotees had availed of free anna prasadam. The total footfall was put at more than 12.02 lakh. This includes the 1.48 lakh devotees who thronged the temple on the Moola Nakshatram day. The temple sold 25.15 lakh laddu prasadam,” said Mr. Rama Rao.
He said that 25,119 tickets of ₹500 each were sold, generating ₹1.25 crore. The sale of ₹300 tickets fetched more than ₹54 lakh and ₹35 lakh was generated from the sale of ₹100 tickets.
Sthanacharya Vishnubotla Sivaprasada Sarma, temple Trust Board members Batchu Madhavi Krishna, Kesari Nagamani, Executive Engineer K.V.S. Koteswara Rao, Assistant Executive Officers N. Ramesh, B. Venkat Reddy and others were present.
