The Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanam (TTD) that looks after the affairs of the richest temple in the country in Tirumala has collected revenue of Rs 7.94 cr through e-auction of 4,300 kilos of first and second varieties of human hair.
The hair is offered by lakhs of devotees who tonsure their heads as a mark of thanksgiving at the Kalyanakatta and other designated areas.
The auction was held under the supervision of Tirumala JEO KS Sreenivasa Raju on e-platform through Material Scrap Trading Corporation, Mumbai. The temple Board in recent annual budget has set a target of earning Rs 100 crore by selling hair which is mostly used in the fashion industry for making wigs and other accessories.
The TTD also has approved the annual budget for the financial year 2019-20 at Rs 3,116.25crores. The sources of funds include hundi collections, interests on investments, darshanam receipts, the sale of human hair, prasadams, accommodation and Kalyana Mandapam receipts, arjitha sevas.
While the utilization of funds included engineering works, propagation of Hindu sanatana dharma, sanitation, vigilance and security, hospitals and education.