Shirdi temple pockets Rs.3.9cr Three-day Ramnavami celebrations

Shirdi temple pockets Rs.3.9cr

Three-day Ramnavami celebrations

Around Rs3.9crore was collected in donation at Shirdi's Saibaba temple on the three-day Ramnavami celebrations, which ended on Monday. On Tuesday, the Trust authorities counted the amount which totalled to Rs3.937crore, including the silver and gold offerings. A total of 696gm gold was collected and silver amounted to 2714.45 gm, said Trust officials. On Ramnavami, a celebration which was started by Saibaba himself, lakhs of devotees flock to Shirdi every year - this year, it was around three lakh. Almost two lakh devotees ate the prasad at the Trust's prasadalaya during the three days. The Trust had offered free meals to the palkhi bearers. The laddu prasad and meals fetched Rs60 lakh in three days. On an average, the income in form of donations and sale was pegged at Rs62.4 lakh a day during the three days from March 31 to April 2. Thefts galore Thieves took advantage of the huge rush on the temple premise on Sunday and robbed around Rs90,500 from the collection of the Kapad Kothi, the Trust' cloth store that sells shawls and other cloth offered to Saibaba. A silver Ganesh idol in a palanquin weighing 250gm was also stolen. The devotees of Saileela Plakhi who had walked from Mumbai were put up at Dindi Baugh, from where the idol was stolen. Many cases of pick pocketing have been registered at the Shirdi police station.