Kashi Vishwanath Dham receives over Rs 100 cr donation in 11 months

In over 11 months, Kashi Vishwanath Dham has received Rs 100 crore donation from 7.35 crore visitors in 11 months.

Lucknow, Dec 15: In over 11 months after its grand inauguration by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Kashi Vishwanath Dham shrine area has received donations worth Rs 100 crore.

Also, 7.35 crore people have visited in this period, according to a report in a leading daily. The temple officials are predicting the shrine to recover the invested money of Rs 900 crore in four to five years if the trends of the rising footfall continues.

"A many-fold increase in the numbers of both devotees and earnings has been recorded in a year after the opening of KV Dham," Divisional commissioner and chairman of Shri Kashi Vishwanath Dham Special Area Development Board Kaushal Raj Sharma is quoted as saying by the English newspaper. The temple used to attract 30-40 lakh people annually, but it has now touched 7.35 crore after the opening of KV Dham.

The temple registered its highest number of footfalls in the month of July 2022 as o ver 76 lakh (7,681,561) devotees visited the dham, the report said citing the temple data.

Check the month on visitors to the temple:

• 4,842,716 devotees in December, 2021.
• 7,459,471 devotees in January, 2022.
• 6,856,142 devotees in February, 2022.
• 7,171,163 devotees in March, 2022.
• 6,587,264 devotees in April, 2022.
• 6,290,511 devotees in May, 2022.
• 6,916,981 devotees in June, 2022.
• 7,681,561 devotees in July, 2022.
• 6,711,499 devotees in August, 2022.
• 4,013,688 devotees in September, 2022.
• 3,830,643 devotees in October, 2022.
• 1,350,000 devotees in November, 2022.

The donation to the temple was boosted by the increase in visitors. "KV temple used to receive Rs 14-15 crore as donations per year till 2017, while in 2018 it had crossed the mark of Rs 28 crore. But, after the opening of KV Dham the temple recorded a 500% rise by receiving donations of Rs 100 crore during this period," the official added.

Out of Rs 100 crore donations, Rs 50 crore was received in cash while 40 per cent was transferred online. "The cash collection is received through donation and sale of tickets," he said, adding, "The value of precious metals including 60 kg gold, 10 kg of silver, 1,500 kg copper received in donation was Rs 50 crore. Gold and other metals received in donation were utilised for gold plating of the dome and inner walls of the temple's sanctum sanctorum."