Temple revenues decline despite rising devotee footfall
- Hundi collections are falling even as pilgrim numbers increase.
- Sharp decline in revenue at the Vijayawada Kanaka Durga Temple and Annavaram Temple.
- Alleged corruption by political leaders, thefts by employees, and organized fraud hurting temple finances.
- Fake darshan ticket racket exposed three times at the Vijayawada Durga Temple within a month.
- Volunteer caught stealing during hundi counting.
- Trust Board members allegedly pledged the crown of Gudivada Kalyana Venkateswara Swamy Temple.
- Brokers allegedly melting and selling silver offerings from the Sri Kalahasti Temple.
- Outsourcing employee caught stealing gold from the Tirumala Parakamani.
According to the document, under the Chandrababu-led coalition government, even temple wealth has allegedly not been spared. While the number of devotees visiting temples has increased substantially, temple revenues have reportedly declined. It alleges that thefts, financial irregularities, fake ticket sales, and insider fraud are causing significant losses to temple income.
Over the last two years, Andhra Pradesh’s major temples have reportedly witnessed record pilgrim footfall, yet revenues have surprisingly fallen. Endowments Department statistics cited in the document state that the Vijayawada Kanaka Durga Temple received 9.34 million devotees during 2023–24 and generated an assessable surplus income of ₹156.97 crore. However, despite attracting nearly 11.9 million devotees during 2025–26—an increase of over 2.5 million pilgrims—the temple’s income reportedly declined to ₹140.99 crore.
A similar trend is highlighted at the Annavaram Sri Veera Venkata Satyanarayana Swamy Temple. While 4.55 million devotees visited the temple during 2023–24, generating ₹84.82 crore in surplus income, the document states that 5.787 million devotees visited during 2025–26, yet income fell to ₹82.80 crore. Similar patterns are claimed to exist in temples such as Penuganchiprolu and Pedakakani, raising questions about why revenues have declined despite increased pilgrim numbers.
The document further alleges that after introducing WhatsApp-based digital services for darshan tickets and accommodation, the coalition government reduced physical ticket counters at major temples. At Annavaram, physical counters were reportedly shut down in favor of fully digital services over the last four months, allegedly enabling brokers to exploit devotees.
It also lists a series of alleged incidents across temples over the last two years, including:
- A volunteer allegedly caught stealing ₹11,500 from hundi collections at the Arasavalli Sun Temple by hiding currency notes on his body.
- An outsourcing employee at Tirumala’s Parakamani allegedly caught attempting to steal a 100-gram gold biscuit, with police later recovering 655 grams of gold and 157 grams of silver during the investigation.
- Allegations that a nearly ₹1 crore gold crown donated to the Gudivada Sri Kalyana Venkateswara Swamy Temple was pledged to a private jeweller.
- Temple officials allegedly caught transporting silver offerings from the Yerradoddi Gangamma Temple.
- Repeated instances of hundi thefts, fake darshan ticket rackets, employee misconduct, and thefts of temple ornaments across multiple temples in Andhra Pradesh.
The document concludes by presenting a chronological list of alleged temple-related thefts, financial irregularities, employee misconduct, and administrative failures reported between December 2024 and June 2026, including incidents at Tirumala, Simhachalam, Ahobilam, Arasavalli, Sri Kalahasti, Kadiri, Yanamalakuduru, Koyyalagudem, Upamaka, and several other temples across the state.
