Tirupati temple rakes in Rs 25 crore offerings from devotees during 'Brahmotsavams'
Tirupati (PTI): Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams chairman BR Naidu on Thursday said nearly six lakh devotees offered over Rs 25 crore as offerings during the 'Brahmotsavams' until October 1.
Addressing a press conference at Tirumala Annamayya Bhavan, the chairman said these offerings were dropped by devotees in the 'hundi' (offering box).
"During these eight days of Brahmotsavams (till October 1), 5.8 lakh devotees had the darshan of Srivaru (diety), and the hundi income stood at Rs 25.12 crore," said Naidu.
Listing out other statistics from the annual nine-day spiritual extravaganza, he said 'annaprasadam' (consecrated meals) was served to 26 lakh devotees while more than 2.4 lakh devotees offered their hair to the deity through ritualistic tonsuring.
Naidu said 28 lakh laddus (consecrated sweet) were sold to devotees and 298 troupes from 28 states featuring 6,976 artists performed at the Brahmotsavams.
Further, he said 60 tonne of flowers, four lakh cut flowers and 90,000 seasonal flowers were used to decorate and adorn during Brahmotsavams.
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Akola hottest in India at 46.9 deg C; Vidarbha under grip of heat wave
Nagpur (PTI): Akola in Maharashtra has recorded the highest temperature in the country at 46.9°C, while Nagpur and several other parts of Vidarbha reeled under a severe heat wave, MeT officials said on Monday.
Heat wave conditions are expected to persist across parts of the state's Vidarbha region till Tuesday, as maximum temperatures may reach 45 to 46 degrees Celsius and touch 47 degrees Celsius at isolated locations, they said.
On Sunday, Akola recorded 46.9 degrees Celsius, the highest temperature in the country, followed by Amravati at 46.8 degrees Celsius, according to the India Meteorological Department's Regional Meteorological Centre (RMC) in Nagpur.
Wardha sizzled at 46.4 degrees Celsius, Yavatmal logged 46 degrees Celsius, Nagpur scorched at 45.4 degrees Celsius, while Chandrapur recorded 45 degrees Celsius, as per the data.
Akola, Amravati, Wardha, Yavatmal, Chandrapur and Nagpur experienced heat wave conditions, while several other districts reported above-normal temperatures, RMC scientist Dr Praveen Kumar told PTI.
The prevailing above-normal and persistently high temperatures over Vidarbha can be attributed to an anticyclonic circulation over Maharashtra and adjoining areas. At the same time, hot and dry northwesterly winds have been continuously affecting the region, he said.
In addition, weak western disturbances and the absence of moisture incursion or any significant weather systems have contributed to the intensification of heat over the region, the official said.
As per the Met department, heat wave conditions are likely to continue at a few or isolated places over the region till Tuesday.
The IMD has issued an 'orange' alert for Akola, Amravati and Wardha and a 'yellow' alert for Nagpur, Chandrapur and Yavatmal for Tuesday, saying that the maximum temperatures are likely to reach 45 to 46 deg C and possibly up to 47 deg C at isolated locations.
A relief from the heat wave is expected thereafter and the mercury is likely to dip by 2 to 3 deg C, with the possibility of rainfall and gusty winds in the coming days, it added.
The IMD grades the severity of any weather system through colour-coded alerts – green (no warning), yellow (be aware), orange (be prepared) and red (take action).
