Tirumala Sees Surge In Hair Offerings, 1.24 Million Devotees Shave Heads

The world's richest Hindu shrine, Tirumala in Andhra Pradesh's Tirupati has recorded an unprecedented rise in hair offerings, popularly known as ''Black Gold'' with more than 12.43 lakh devotees tonsuring their heads as an act of faith in May this year.

According to Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD), which manages the hills shrine of lord Venkateswara, a total of 12,43,063 devotees offered their hair between May 1 and May 27. The figure has already surpassed the numbers recorded during the corresponding period in previous years. During May 2024, around 10.65 lakh devotees offered hair, while the number stood at 10.18 lakh during the same period last year.

Temple officials said that the sharp increase is due to the summer holiday season, weekend rush and a steady flow of pilgrims from across India and abroad. Between May 18 and May 23, over 50,000 devotees underwent tonsuring every day. On May 23 alone, Tirumala recorded 57,580 hair offerings, one of the highest single-day figures in recent years.

To handle the heavy rush, TTD has kept tonsuring services running round the clock through the main Kalyanakatta and 11 mini tonsuring centres spread across Tirumala. More than 1,150 barbers, including 269 women barbers, are working in shifts to ensure smooth services with minimal waiting time.

Apart from its religious significance, human hair has emerged as a major source of non-donation revenue for TTD. The hair collected from devotees is carefully sorted, graded and auctioned to buyers from countries, including China, Italy, the United States and Brazil. The hair is widely used in the wig, hair extension and beauty industries.

TTD's earnings from hair auctions have shown remarkable growth in recent years. Revenue increased from about Rs 67 crore in 2020-21 to Rs 75 crore in 2021-22, Rs 135 crore in 2022-23 and Rs 167 crore in 2023-24. The income for 2024-25 is estimated to be around Rs 190 crore, with officials expecting it to cross the Rs 200-crore mark in the coming financial year.

As devotee numbers have increased, TTD has also stepped up hygiene measures at all tonsuring centres. Sterilised blades, continuous sanitation, hot water facilities, drinking water, seating arrangements and token systems have been put in place to ensure a safe and comfortable experience for devotees fulfilling their vows at the sacred hill abode of the lord.