The Siddhivinayak temple at Prabhadevi sold gold ornaments and silver coins worth Rs 1.33 crores during the auction on Gudi Padwa on March 30.
Devotees had donated the gold to the deity over the last few months. The temple administration said that 225 pieces of gold jewellery, including necklaces, jhumkas (earrings), replicas of modaks (a sweet), idols, and lockets were displayed at the temple on Sunday morning for auction.
Sunday’s auction sold 207 gold ornaments worth around Rs. 1.33 crores, offered at the feet of Lord Siddhivinayak, as well as the sale of pure silver coins, the temple administration said.
The auction was held under the guidance of Sadanand Saravankar, chairman of the temple trust and a Minister of State, and Acharya Pawan Kumar Tripathi, treasurer of the temple.
The temple also sold silver coins embossed with the image of Lord Siddhivinayak. The ‘999’ grade coins minted by the Central Mint were sold in sizes from 11 to 51 grams.
Gudi Padwa is considered one of the ‘three-and-a-half’ muhurat or most auspicious days of the year. Hindus buy gold and other valuables on these days. Deputy Chief Executive Officer of the trust, Dr Sanjay Rathod, said that devotees bought gold and silver ornaments donated at the feet of Ganapati Bappa as prasad.
