Mysuru:  Entry ticket collections on the first Ashada Shukravara (Friday) on June 30 at the Chamundeshwari Temple atop the Chamundi Hill stood at Rs. 18,21,000. This is double the entry ticket collection of the first Ashada Friday last year that stood at Rs. 7,20,000.

The entry ticket money was counted yesterday, a day after the first Ashada Shukravara. Thousands of devotees had thronged the temple and the shrine was open from dawn till late in the night. While there was free entrance, Rs. 50 was charged for special entrance and devotees who took the Rs. 300 ticket had an opportunity of special darshan and an Abhisheka in their names.  

According to temple sources, there has been a marked increase in the number of devotees who visit the shrine, an important and popular pilgrimage centre in South Karnataka, annually and the numbers peak during Ashada, Chamundeshwari Vardhanti and Dasara.

This year, the subsequent Ashada Fridays fall on July 7, July 14 and July 21. The Chamundeshwari Vardhanti (birthday of Goddess Chamundeshwari) will fall on July 16 (Sunday).

Apart from entry tickets, the temple gets good revenue from its hundis (offering box) and is considered as one of the richest temples in Karnataka after Kukke Subramanya, Dharmasthala Manjunatheshwara, and Male Mahadeshwara temples. Apart from cash, the temple also receives gold and silver as offerings.