12 lakh devotees visited temple and offered cash, jewellery to appease goddess during Navratri festival.
The Navratri festival this year evoked unprecedented response with more than 12 lakh devotees visiting the Mahalaxmi temple in the nine days. The devotees offered cash and jewellery to the goddess.
“There was tight security at the temple. Shoes were not allowed on the temple premises for the first time. With support from the devotees, the festival was celebrated enthusiastically and in a peaceful manner,” said the member of the Western Maharashtra Devsthan Committee, Padmaja Tivale.
The footfall data of the doorframe metal detector shows that the following number of devotees visited the temple: Mahadwar Darwaja (2.55 lakh), Vidyapeeth High School door (4.05 lakh), Sarlashkar Bhavan door (5.90 lakh).
The committee officially receives gifts from the devotees. The voucher book of the committee shows that the goddess was offered jewellery and cash. The jewellery include a necklace, Kolhapuri Saaj, worth Rs72,000, from the state minister of home department, Satej Patil and a golden necklace from Mona Patil (Pune) worth Rs30,146. The goddess was also offered a tode, a bangle-like silver jewellery for the ankle, from Manish Zende (Pune) worth Rs30,000.
There are silver coins, nose rings, mangalsutras, golden bids of mangalsutra, earrings of silver, gold and precious stones, which will be kept in the treasure of the goddess. The goddess was also offered rice and jaggery. “We give a receipt to the devotees for the donations they make. These devotees can see their offerings whenever they want on producing the receipt,” Tivale said.
The devotees also donate cash in the boxes kept in the temple which are opened periodically. “The money received is kept in the bank accounts. Last year, the bank deposits were of Rs27 crore,” he said.
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