Most temples rely on offerings and donations from devotees for their welfare. However, there are a few that have cornered a lucrative, albeit unusual, market. For example is the Venkateshwara Temple in Andhra Pradesh. The Venkateshwara temple is the abode of Lord Vishnu, a god that accepts human hair as a symbol of sacrifice. Selling human hair to the Western countries has made the temple one of the richest in India.
The temple, actually one of the most historical temples in India, has two huge halls lined by barbers, who are responsible for shaving the hair off more than 12,000 pilgrims every day, reaching nearly 75 tons of hair annually and earning more than 6.5 million USD. These are sold to Italian wig manufacturers and the Chinese who use extracts from the hair for food preservation.
PNN/Agencies
