People show their devotion in many ways, and a recent case from Pune illustrates this. At the ancient hill temple, two men in navy blue khaki suits and a police officer were present to ensure the safety of the devotees.
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The temple, which welcomes between 75,000 and 90,000 pilgrims daily, received ₹125 crore in offerings for July, according to Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) executive officer Syamala Rao. In that month, over 22 lakh people visited the temple, 8.6 lakh underwent ritual tonsuring, and more than one crore laddus (sweets) were sold.
The temple is dedicated to Venkateswara, a form of Vishnu, believed to have come to Earth to help people during the Kali Yuga. Legend says that Lord Sri Venkateswara, also known as Srinivasa, Balaji, and Venkatachalapati, chose Tirumala as his home five thousand years ago. Even before him, Lord Varahaswami lived there. Over the years, devotees have continued to build impressive entrances, and the temple now covers 16.2 acres.
