Shirdi Sai Baba temple collects over Rs 4 crore as donations during Ram Navami

Shirdi Sai Baba

The Shree Saibaba Sansthan Trust (SSST), which manages the Sai Baba Temple in Maharashtra’s Shirdi, announced that it collected donations worth whopping Rs 4.26 crore during the Ram Navami Ustav, which was organised in Shirdi from April 5 to 7.

Bhimraj Darade, Deputy Chief Executive Office of the SSST informed that more than 2.5 lakh devotees from around the world visited Shirdi and donated Rs 1.67 crore in cash.

"Ram Navami Utsav was organised from 5 to 7 April. During this time, people from across the world visited Shirdi. More than 2.5 lakh devotees visited here. A total of Rs 4.26 crore has been collected in donations from the devotees. Of Rs 4.26 crore, nearly Rs 1.67 crore has been received in the temple’s cash donation boxes," the official told news agency ANI.

The temple received Rs 79.38 lakh at the donation counters. A significant Rs 47.16 lakh was received through paid darshan passes. Notably, the temple witnessed huge surge in digital transactions for donations, with Rs 1.24 crore pouring in through debit and credit cards, online transfers, cheques, demand drafts, and money orders. The devotees at the Sai Baba temple also donated 83 grams of gold valued at Rs 6.15 lakh and 2 kilograms of silver worth Rs 1.31 lakh.

Every year, numerous devotees flock to the Sai Baba Temple in Shirdi to offer their prayers. Sai Baba is believed to be the reincarnation of Lord Rama, and hence, on the Day of Ram Navami, devotees of Sai Baba express their love and devotion to him and receive his blessings.