A Bengaluru-based devotee of Lord Venkateswara on Monday donated Rs 1 crore to the Tirumala hill temple near here with a request to use the fund for the temple-run Sri Venkateswara Gosamrakshana (care and protection of cows) Trust.

A senior temple official told PTI that the devotee Amarnath Chowdary and his wife, after offering worship at the hill temple, handed over the DD for the amount to the additional executive officer of Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) AV Dharma Reddy.

The TTD governs the hill shrine. The donation was a fulfilment of a vow made to the Lord Venkateswara by the devotee for fruitfully running a software company floated nine years ago in Bengaluru, the official said.

The devotee requested the TTD to use the donation for the trust meant for the welfare of cows housed in the TTD's dairy farm that has been supplying milk for the temple rituals and babies of devotees on the hills. he added.

The Venkateshwara Temple in Tirupati is a landmark temple visited by lakhs of people everyday. In July 2019 the TTD announced that by donating Rs 10000 devotees will receive a VIP ticket to visit a temple. Each individual can be alloted up to nine VIP tickets.  People who donate more than Rs 1 lakh will enjoy existing privileges accorded to those who donate a similar amount to other TTD trusts. A VIP ticket allows devotees to skip long queues at the temple and fast-track their visit.

In December 2019, an Andhra-based donor anonymously donated Rs 1 crore to the Tirupati Venkateshwara temple. The donor reportedly requested the temple authorities to use the fund for its pilgrims free meal trust