Tirumala Balaji Gets Rich by Rs 133 Crores

The rich Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams that manages the Lord Balaji temple, Tirumala, got richer by Rs 133 crore by auctioning human hair offered by devotees.

With e-auctioning introduced for the first time to keep the process transparent, the exercise saw 49 bidders from across the nation buying 4.65 lakh kg of various types of hair, and paying a total amount 27 per cent higher than that in the last auction. Lakhs of devotees offer their hair at the temple every year and this is sorted out into various types. Long hair fetches the highest price, Rs 12,000 a kg, and is in demand from wig-making firms.