Goddess Lakshmi, the presiding deity of wealth at the famous Sri Kanyaka Parameswari temple in Visakhapatnam has been gifted with 8 Kg jewellery worth Rs 2 crore and another Rs 4 crore in cash, according to a report.
The jewellery and cash were later used to decorate the temple interiors on Sunday. About 200 devotees had made these offerings to the temple which is 140-year-old.
"People believe that it is lucky for them to place the currency and the gold before the Ammavaru (goddess) for the puja. It is all public contribution. We make a note of who has given what amount and return it to them once the puja is over. It does not go to the temple trust," Kolluru Venkateswara Rao, chairperson of the temple committee said.
As per the temple tradition, the idol of the goddess is wrapped with gold jewellery and currency notes of various denomination on Devi Navaratri Ustavalu (on the day when the deity takes the avatar of Mahalakshmi). Some currency notes were also used to decorate the walls and the floor of the sanctum sanctorum.
During the 10-day Navaratri festival, the idol of Kanyaka Parameswari temple is worshipped as different incarnations of Lakshmi. Devotees donate cash and gold during this time as they have a belief that that gifting gold and cash to the goddess would bring good fortune.