Tirupati, known as the richest temple in India, is one of incredible cultural and philanthropic viewpoints. The history of this grand temple dates back centuries, having been a place where pilgrims would stand for hours just to catch a glimpse of the reigning deity living within the temple walls. Lord Venkateshwara, the god who destroys the sins of people according to Hindu scripture, is a huge part of the temple’s existence.One of the most fascinating aspects of this particular temple are the diamonds, which can be seen throughout to include the famous diamond-studded gloves, and even a magnificent parrot carved out of diamond. These gloves were donated to the temple by a cement baron, estimated at five crore, which is about $1.1 million US.
Another offering to the Hindu temple was by a man named Alagappa Chettiyar. He offered two diamond earpieces, worth 1.1 crore, or just over a quarter of a million dollars. This same devotee provided other offerings to his favorite god and goddess to include 1,000 gold coins, each with Venkateshwara’s name imprinted. The total value of the coins was 50 lakh, or $117,000 US.
With so many incredible diamond pieces residing in the temple, it is managed by the trust. Commonly, the Hindu temple is presented with a number of elaborate and expensive gifts, many times being diamonds. The yearly income based on the gifts is approximately 950 crore, which is over $222 million US. Each year, the number of gifts grows.
Although gold has long been the most common gift given to this Hindu temple, diamonds are now becoming a more and more popular choice. Other interesting pieces include ornaments, crowns, and even clothing all encrusted with gorgeous diamonds. One Pune tycoon offered the parrot mentioned, which is sculpted in diamond, along with an ornament shaped like a snake, which sits atop the Lord’s shoulder.
As amazing as this seems, the number of gold and diamond pieces that continue to pour into the Hindu temple are unbelievable. Even with some people living in recession, it makes no difference when it comes to making this god happy. You can only imagine what the rooms within the temple look like, each shiny from the stunning glitter of gold and reflection of diamonds.
Keep in mind that this is just one Hindu temple. However, while it is the worlds richest, many others also receive beautiful gold and diamond gifts for various gods. To most people, it is hard to imagine the vast amount of expensive pieces that adorn the inside walls of the temples. We can only envision tables, cabinets, shelves, and so on, covered with some of the most gorgeous and breathtaking specimens of diamonds ever imagined.
To most of us, seeing diamonds glittering in jewelry store windows is enough to wow but just picture having the opportunity to walk the hallways of the temple, seeing diamond creations worth millions of dollars, many in the form of animals or ornaments, not pieces that we would proudly wear.
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