Saibaba temple coffers bulge on donations in cash and kind

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The famous Shirdi Saibaba shrine in Maharashtra's Ahmednagar district has received 36 kg of gold and Rs 401 crore in cash towards donations in year 2011, a top official said on Wednesday.

The offerings are at least 20 percent higher compared to year 2010, he said.

"The Trust received 36 kg of gold which is almost fifteen percent more than 31 kg it had received in 2010. Similarly, 440 kg of silver was offered to the shrine in the year gone by compared to 320 kg of silver in 2010," Shirdi Saibaba Trust executive officer Kishore More said.

Even the cash registers of the shrine, which is termed as the second richest in terms of income, are ringing with receipt of Rs 401 crore towards donation in year 2011, which is 20 percent more compared to Rs 322 crore it had received in 2010, he said.

Even the donations in terms of foreign currency have also risen to Rs 6.28 crore as against Rs 5.43 crore in 2010, More added.