Nestled in the spiritual heart of the seven hills, Ananda Nilayam, the divine abode of Sri Venkateswara Swamy, attracts over two crore devotees annually. From across India and the world, pilgrims offer not only prayers but also generous donations at Srivari Hundi — ranging from coins and currency to silver, and significantly, gold.
TTD receives between 800 to 1,000 kg of gold every year through Hundi offerings. Many devotees, in a gesture of surrender and faith, place entire sets of personal ornaments in the hundi. During the hundi calculation at Parakamani, the gold is separated and stored in a special locker. The stored items are taken to the Treasury Department in Tirupati at a fixed time and their quality is checked by an appraiser.
This donated gold is melted, purified, converted into gold biscuits, and then deposited into public sector banks.
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Since the launch of the Gold Monetisation Scheme (GMS) by the Central Government in 2015, TTD has been depositing this gold in long-term schemes earning 2.5% annual interest. In FY 2023–24 alone, 1,031 kg of gold was deposited. As of 2024, the total deposited gold stood at 11,329 kg—making TTD one of the largest institutional contributors to the GMS, primarily via State Bank of India and Indian Overseas Bank.
On April 28, 2025, the price of gold in India reached ₹98,200 per 10 grams (or ₹98.20 lakh per kilogram). Based on this rate, the current value of TTD’s deposited gold is an astounding ₹11,129 crore. With an interest rate of 2.5%, TTD earns approximately ₹278 crore annually — just from interest on gold.
In addition to the deposited gold, around 500 kg of gold remains in ornamental form, adorning deities in daily rituals and major festivals. These ornaments — worn by Sri Venkateswara and his Utsava Murthys — are estimated to be worth over ₹400-450 crore.
Usually, devotees who offer large amounts of gold ornaments first contact TTD. They tell them that they want to offer them to the Lord and the ceremonial idols. TTD gives instructions on the dimensions, shape, rubies, vajravaiduryas and ornaments to be used for making the gold ornaments.
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In this way, the devotees get the gold ornaments made in accordance with the instructions given by TTD and offer them to the Lord. Thus, the golden feet of the Lord, Surya Katari, Nandakam, Srivari Abhaya, Katihasthalas, ornaments, golden crown, cooking crown, green garland, and many other ornaments were offered to the Lord.
One such recent offering came from Tejaswi, granddaughter of former TTD Chairman DK Adhikeshava Naidu, who donated a rare Vyjayanti Mala. A total of four garlands were made, valued at over ₹2 crore, and offered to the Utsava Murthys of Sridevi and Bhudevi.
In total, TTD holds thousands of kilograms of gold, either as bank deposits or temple ornaments. With the recent 30% surge in gold prices, the value of TTD’s gold reserves has risen from ₹8,500 crore in April 2024 to over ₹11,129 crore in April 2025.
In the world of faith and finance, Sri Venkateswara’s treasury is not just a symbol of devotion — it’s a golden asset that grows with time.
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