SABARIMALA: The aggregate revenue at Lord Ayyappa temple here touched Rs 128.06 crore during the first 33 days of the ongoing pilgrimage season. The total income during the corresponding period in 2018-2019 was Rs 80.67 crore, showing an increase of Rs 47 crore, according to sources. However, the total revenue during the same period in the 2017-2018 pilgrimage season was Rs 137.33 crore, they said. Of the total income, the revenue from the sale of aravana prasadam stood at Rs 54.34 crore as against the Rs 30.90 crore during the same period in 2018-2019.
The rise in income from aravana sales alone came to about `24 crore during the ongoing pilgrimage season, the sources said. And the total hundi collection during the period under review stood at `43.68 crore, a jump of around Rs 10.44crore from the Rs 32.84 crore during the last season.
However, the backlog of counting the coins continues with at least `7 crore worth of coins yet to be counted due to manpower shortage, sources said. The total income from the sale of appam prasadam stood at Rs 7.85 crore during the period under review as against Rs 2.89 crore during the same period in the previous pilgrimage season.
The income from accommodation facilities stood at Rs 2.17 crore in contrast to the Rs 1.35 crore in the last season. The revenue from the sale of coupons for neyyabhishekam came to Rs 1.02 crore during the period under review as against `73.42 lakh during the same period in the last season, the sources said.