Sabarimala nets Rs 178.53 crore in 2012-13

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Sabarimala hill shrine has received a record revenue of Rs 178.53 crore in 2012-13, Kerala Devaswom (temple affairs) Minister V S Sivakumar told the Assembly today.

Though the exact number of pilgrims who visited the Lord Ayyappa temple this year are not available, it is generally estimated that about three crore devotees offer worship at the shrine in a year, the Minister said in a written reply.

There was no dip in pilgrims to the shrine this year, he said.

The revenue received last year stood at Rs 174.46 crore. The temple, located in the buffer zone of Periyar Tiger Reserve in Pathanamthitta district, is managed by the Travancore Devaswom Board.

Pilgrims mainly throng the temple during the ' Mandala' and ' Makaravilakku' seasons stretching from mid-November to January 14.