TIRUMALA: To dispose of coins that got accumulated with it, the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) has decided to give them as ‘Dhana Prasadam’ to pilgrims seeking refund of advance paid for accommodation on the hill shrine during their pilgrimage.
Generally, devotees drop coins in the temple Hundi during their pilgrimage as part of fulfilment of their vow to the Lord. The temple gets a huge number of coins as an offering to the Lord. The TTD has found it difficult to dispose of coins or deposit them in banks. Hence, it has come up with the initiative of ‘Dhana Prasadam’ to pilgrims.
Under the new initiative launched on Wednesday, caution deposit will be returned to pilgrims in coin pouches containing Rs 50, Rs 100 and Rs 500.
‘Dhana Prasadam’ pouch also contains Srivari Prasadam with photos of the Lord and the Goddess printed on both sides of it. In addition to coins, it contains Kumkuma, Pasupu, Chandanam and Parimalam. ‘Dhana Prasadam’ will be offered at all the TTD caution deposit refund counters.
“The new initiative will ease the pressure on us to handle the huge change we get through offerings to the Lord,” TTD Additional Executive Officer AV Dharma Reddy said. According to an estimate, coins worth Rs 5 crore have got accumulated with the TTD now. The TTD had recently cleared coins worth Rs 65 crore accumulated with it till March 2020, official sources said.