Mysuru: Entry ticket collections on the second Ashada Shukravara (Friday) on July 7 at the Chamundeshwari Temple atop the Chamundi Hill stood at Rs. 22,70,410. This is more than double the entry ticket collection of the second Ashada Friday last year that stood at Rs. 8,91,300. The collection has also broken the 2015 collection record on second Ashada Friday figures of Rs. 6,74,000.

This year, the total revenue collected through entry tickets on the first and second Ashada Fridays stand at Rs. 40,91,780 as against the last year’s total collection on all Ashada Fridays and Chamundi Vardhanti Mahotsava stood at Rs. 38,73,300. In 2015, the temple collected Rs. 29,67,550 on all Ashada Fridays and Vardhanti.

Thousands of devotees had thronged the temple and the shrine was open from dawn till late in the night and the entry ticket money was counted yesterday. In 2015 and last year, special darshan tickets were priced at Rs. 50. This year, the district administration had retained the Rs. 50 ticket and had introduced Rs. 300 ticket that gave the devotees an opportunity of special darshan and an Abhisheka in their names. Going by the figures, it looks like there were many takers for  Rs. 300 ticket.

This year, the first Ashada Friday recorded an entry ticket collection of Rs. 18,21,370 as against the collection of Rs. 7,20,400 last year and Rs. 6,02,400 in 2015. This year, the subsequent Ashada Fridays fall on July 14 and July 21. The Chamundeshwari Vardhanti (the birthday of Goddess Chamundeshwari) will fall on July 16.

Last year, the third Ashada Friday recorded entry ticket collection of Rs. 9,40,000 and in 2015, it stood at Rs. 7,65,300. On the Vardhanti Day last year, the temple collected Rs. 4,79250 and in 2015, it collected Rs. 2,67,100. On the fourth and last Ashada Friday last year, the temple collected Rs. 8,42,350 and in 2015, the collection stood at 6,58,750.

The shrine is an important and popular pilgrimage centre in South Karnataka and the number of devotees peak during Ashada, Chamundeshwari Vardhanti and Dasara.

Entry ticket collections

                                            2015                                  2016                                                          2017

                                          Rs. 50 ticket                     Rs. 50                                                   Rs. 50 & 300

1st Friday                          6,02,400.00                     7,20,400.00                                             18,21,370.00

2nd Friday                         6,74,000.00                     8,91,300.00                                              22,70,410.00

3rd Friday                          7,65,300.00                     9,40,000.00

Vardhanti                            2,67,100.00                   4,79,250.00

4th Friday                          6,58,750.00                    8,42,350.00

Total                                 29,67,550.00                  38,73,300.00                                              40,91,780.00