The Saibaba temple here has received donations worth Rs. 4.47 crore during the recent Guru Poornima festival, an official said on Wednesday.
The temple received donations worth Rs. 4.47 crore from devotees during the three-day Guru Poornima festival held last week which is Rs. 38 lakh more than that received during the same time last year, Shri Saibaba Sansthan’s chief accounts officer Dilip Zirpe said.
The sansthan received cash, gold and silver ornaments worth Rs. 3.10 crore in its donation box, while donations worth Rs. 1.46 crore (of cash and ornaments) was made online and at the sansthan’s cash counters, he said.
Hundreds of foreign devotees from 25 countries also donated foreign currencies, estimated to be worth about Rs. 10 to 12 lakh during the festival, Zirpe said, adding that its exact valuation was yet to be done.
The sansthan has deposits of Rs. 1,190 crore in different nationalised banks, while the Saibaba treasure has 305 kg gold and 3,647 kg silver, which as per today’s market rate are worth Rs. 108 crore, he said.
The Saibaba sansthan provided free meal during the three-day festival from Rs. 20 lakh donated by 10 devotees.
Besides, 2.5 lakh ‘ladoo’ packets were distributed free to devotees, sansthan’s executive officer Kundan Sonawane said, adding that many devotees also donated blood before taking blessings of Saibaba during the festival.
