🛕 Tirupati (Tirumala Venkateswara Temple)
India
About This Sacred Site
The Tirumala Venkateswara Temple in Tirupati, Andhra Pradesh, is the richest and most visited religious site in the world. Dedicated to Lord Venkateswara (a form of Vishnu), the temple receives more annual donations than any other religious institution globally. Devotees wait hours or even days for darshan (viewing) of the deity, and many offer their hair as a sacrifice — the temple's tonsure halls shave thousands of heads daily.
Key Facts
- •Receives an estimated 50,000-100,000 visitors daily
- •Annual revenue exceeds $500 million in donations
- •The richest religious institution in the world
- •Over 500 kg of human hair is collected daily from devotees
- •The temple sits atop the seven hills of Tirumala at 853 meters
Location
Coordinates: 13.6833, 79.3472
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