TIRUMALA: A new Parakamani building was built at a cost of Rs 23 Crore, where the counting of money and accounting of the offerings made by devotees in Srivari Hundi at Tirumala commenced on Sunday.

Vastu Homam and Gopuja were performed in the new Parakamani building before commencing the counting and accounting activity.

The Tirumala Tirupati Devatshanam Board EO AV Dharma Reddy after participating in the inaugural rituals of the Parakamani informed reporters that the building was constructed with donations given by a Bengaluru-based donor named Muralikrishna. The devotees had donated Rs 23 Crores which helped in purchasing and setting up advanced counting machines. CCTV cameras, a special truck fitted with a hydraulic lift to carry the hundis easily, and other modern infrastructure were arranged in the Parakamani building, the EO added.

This Parakamani building was inaugurated by Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy on September 28 last year when had attended the Brahmothsavams.

Earlier, during the first bell in Tirumala temple, the Hundis from the temple were lifted through a hydraulic lift and loaded in a new truck fitted with this lift and brought to the new building with the blessings of Sri Pedda Jeeyar Swamy of Tirumala in the presence of TTD EO.

The TTD nets an average of more than Rs 1,000 crore by way of cash offerings deposited by the devotees into the temple hundi every year, in addition to several quintals of gold, tonnes of silver, and several kilograms of precious stones that include diamonds, rubies, and gems, besides huge amounts of coins.

The need to have a larger Parakamani was necessitated over a period of time with the number of devotees increasing and so were the hundi offerings. The new building was constructed opposite the Vengamamba Annadhana Satram and the decision to shift the Parakamani which was earlier inside the temple premises to a new building outside the temple is considered a to be historic decision keeping in mind the agama sastras and rituals related to centuries-old temple of Lord Venkateswara Swamy.

CE Nageswara Rao, Jagadeeshwar Reddy, EEs Jaganmohan Reddy, Srihari, DE Electrical Ravishankar Reddy, Dy EO Parakamani In-charge Rajendra Kumar, VGO Bali Reddy, TTD chief priest A Venugopala Deekshitulu, TTD PRO T Ravi, and others were present for the inauguration.

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