We have heard of rich men making astronomical offerings to their favourite deities. But few have made an offering as big as Rs 700 Cr! Gaanasravan, a Bengaluru-based gold merchant, has announced precisely this much amount to the Chottanikkara Devi Temple in Kerala. He said that he has received a huge blessing from the Goddess and that's why he is offering it as a thanksgiving devotee.

He will sponsor the cost of the sanctum sanctorum of the temple that will be covered with gold plates.

It's not just for the temple that the merchant has announced the offering. With the aim of serving humanity, he will build a super speciality hospital. Like the famous Puttaparthi hospital, it will offer free treatment regardless of caste, creed, religion. It will comprise of 500 beds.

From building guest houses to an orphanage, from sponsoring the construction of an auditorium to undertaking another infra build-up (with a budget of Rs 400 Cr), the merchant will do them all. He wants to ensure that the temple town will become an international pilgrimage centre.