Shirdi:
The Shri Saibaba Sansthan Trust (SSST) here has received over Rs 3.50 crore in donations from devotees during the three-day Gurupurnima festival held from July 18 to 20. According to Bajirao Shinde, SSST's Executive Officer, in comparison to last year's Gurupurnima festival, SSST has received Rs 36 lakh donation in excess this year.
He said that Rs 2.61 crore was received in different cash-boxes at the famous Saibaba temple here while Rs 83 lakh was received at donation counters. SSST has earned Rs 9 lakh in the form of gold ornaments while Rs 90,000 was received through silver ornaments as 'Gurudakshina' during the festival.
Foreign currency was also received in the form of donations from 19 countries. The value of these currencies in Indian rupee amounted to Rs 20 lakh, he said.
Figures of online donations, received in 13 banks, are not yet availalble, Shinde added.
As of today, SSST has fixed-deposit receipts of Rs 1,650 crore in different nationalised banks besides 350 kgs of gold and four tonne of silver in its treasure.
Also read: Shirdi Saibaba temple gets over Rs 4.10 crore donation in 3 days
