Thiruvananthapuram, Feb 2 (PTI) – The Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB) has announced a remarkable increase in revenue at the Sabarimala Lord Ayyappa Temple during the recently concluded Mandalam-Makaravilakku pilgrimage season. Compared to the previous year, the temple witnessed a revenue surge of ₹86 crore, marking a historic rise in earnings.
Speaking to the media, TDB president P S Prasanth revealed that over 55 lakh pilgrims visited the revered hill shrine during the two-month-long pilgrimage season, which culminated last month with the auspicious Makaravilakku festivities. This year’s footfall surpassed the previous year’s figures by nearly 5.5 lakh devotees.
The total revenue collected at the shrine during the season amounted to ₹440 crore, significantly exceeding last year’s ₹354 crore. Prasanth highlighted that while the temple typically sees an annual revenue increase of around ₹4-5 crore, this year’s jump of ₹86 crore was unprecedented.
The expenses incurred for conducting the pilgrimage season and associated festivities stood at ₹147 crore, he added.
The Sabarimala Temple, one of the most prominent pilgrimage centers in India, continues to attract millions of devotees, reaffirming its spiritual and economic significance.
