By PHP Staff
Monday, February 21, 2011
TIRUPATI, INDIA : India's richest Hindu temple on Friday deposited 2,590 lbs. gold with the State Bank of India (SBI) to convert the 'dead assets' into income earning sources.
Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD), which manages the temple's affairs, had last year deposited 2.370 lb of gold with the SBI. TTD officials said the move would not only convert the 'idle gold' into a perennial source of income but would also provide security to its assets. A bank official said TTD was the highest depositor of gold among religious institutions in the country.
SBI along with HDFC and Punjab National Bank also inaugurated secured payment gateway facility by integrating with TTD online for accepting e-Hundi donations, which became operational from Friday. With this facility the donors can now use their debit, credit, Visa or Master cards to make donations.
Following objections from various quarters, the TTD Specified Authority has given up its proposal of handing over the monuments of temple of Lord Venkateshwara and other temples to the Archeological Survey of India (ASI) for structural maintenance. 'We are giving the proposal a review and also pursuing other alternative solution to see that the temples, which are the identity of our rich heritage and culture, were protected forever for benefit of future generations,' said TTD Chairman J. Satyanarayana.
NOTE : Well for one, the Tirupati Temple has overtaken the Vatican, not just as the richest devotional place in the world but also the most visited place of worship. With more than 50,000 daily visitors and an average of 19 million visitors a year, it attracts almost double the estimated number of people visiting Vatican City.
Monday, February 21, 2011
(Photo : A panoramic view of Tirupati Temple on the Tirumala hills in India)
Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD), which manages the temple's affairs, had last year deposited 2.370 lb of gold with the SBI. TTD officials said the move would not only convert the 'idle gold' into a perennial source of income but would also provide security to its assets. A bank official said TTD was the highest depositor of gold among religious institutions in the country.
SBI along with HDFC and Punjab National Bank also inaugurated secured payment gateway facility by integrating with TTD online for accepting e-Hundi donations, which became operational from Friday. With this facility the donors can now use their debit, credit, Visa or Master cards to make donations.
Following objections from various quarters, the TTD Specified Authority has given up its proposal of handing over the monuments of temple of Lord Venkateshwara and other temples to the Archeological Survey of India (ASI) for structural maintenance. 'We are giving the proposal a review and also pursuing other alternative solution to see that the temples, which are the identity of our rich heritage and culture, were protected forever for benefit of future generations,' said TTD Chairman J. Satyanarayana.
NOTE : Well for one, the Tirupati Temple has overtaken the Vatican, not just as the richest devotional place in the world but also the most visited place of worship. With more than 50,000 daily visitors and an average of 19 million visitors a year, it attracts almost double the estimated number of people visiting Vatican City.
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