Did you know the Tirumala temple, that collected Rs 100 cr last month, hosts 50K pilgrims every day?

Prior to the planned Chandrayaan 2 lunar mission launch on Monday, ISRO Chairman K Sivan sought divine blessings at the famed 2000-year old hill shrine.

Dr K. Sivan, Chairman, Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO): On 15 July at 2:51 am, we're going to launch the… https://t.co/1qnqTUz1ao

— ANI (@ANI) 1562997540000

As is tradition before every space mission, ISRO Chairman Kailasavadivoo Sivan sought Lord Balaji’s blessings at the Tirumala Temple two days before Chandrayaan-2 was set to launch. Sivan was accompanied by a few ISRO scientists and a replica of Chandrayaan-2. While the lunar mission was later called off due to a technical snag, here are a few lesser-known facts about the temple that Sivan and his team sought blessings at:

A Haunt for Space Bosses

For almost two decades, the top brass at ISRO have offered prayers at both Tirumala temple and the Chengalamma temple in Nellore before every crucial launch from the Satish Dhawan space centre in Sriharikota.

Former ISRO chief G Madhavan Nair sought divine blessings before the Chadrayaan mission in 2008 and then in 2013, the former ISRO chairman K Radharkishnan visited the shrine with a replica of the Mars Orbiter Mission.

A Wealth of Riches
The 2000-year old Tirumala temple attracts 50,000 to one lakh pilgrims on a daily basis. On special occasions like the annual Brahmotsavam, the number of devotees goes up to approximately 4-5 lakhs. Due to the sheer number of pilgrims who come to worship and donate to the Srivari Hundi on a regular basis, Tirumala is said to be amongst the richest temples in the world.

Last month, it registered a Hundi collection of Rs. 100.37 crore collected from 24.66 lakh pilgrims, an increase from the Rs. 91.81 crore in June 2018. In 2010, the temple deposited 1,075 kg of gold with SBI amassed from gold offerings given by devotees. The following year, it deposited 1,175 kg of gold.

A Paradise of Festivals
Between Tingal Divasams and Visesha Divasams, the Tirumala Temple observes approximately 433 festivals across 365 days for devotees and visitors alike. Tingal divasams are specials days of monthly occurrence in concurrence of certain auspicious stars occurring every month either in bright or dark fortnights while Visesha Divasams are special days relating to auspicious stars commemorating the birth of Alwars, Acharyas and incarnations of Lord.