Author: Times News Network
Publication: The Times of India
Date: May 21, 2006
Introduction: The bulk of Temple offerings
come from Mofussil corners of the country
While the rustic farmer may avail of tax incentives
while living in relative obscurity, he's competing with actors like Hema Malini
and liquor baron Vijay Mallya, at least when it comes to offering money to
God.
While one would imagine that major donations
for the Nathdwara temple would pour in from the cash-rich Gujarati community
of Ahmedabad, temple officials say almost 80% of the donations comes from
small towns like Wardha, talukas of Kutch and from several villages around
Chennai and Bangalore.
In the past, most temples were dependent on
royal patronage. Then came a time when business houses, politicians, prominent
personalities from the film industry and, recently, sports persons took time
off to share some time and wealth with God.
But now, the muddy countryside, which is thought
to need subsidies for growth, is sending crores to temples.
Said R C Gupta, chief executive officer of
the Shrinath Mandal Trust at Nathdwara, "A few days ago, we received
10 kilogrammes of gold and a diamond crown for the idol from a small town
located on the Gujarat-Maharashtra border. Apart from ornaments, every year,
we receive dry fruits and cardamom worth almost rupees two crore for prasad
from small towns."
The temple, whose vice-chairman is Dhirubai
Ambani's wife Kokilaben, also receives 20 to 25 kgs of saffron from small
towns each year. The temple received cash donations of Rs 20 crore and jewellery
worth Rs 8-10 crore in 2005-06, and Gupta says almost 45 to 50% of this came
from small towns.
Similarly, at Tirupati temple, the daily donation
from the 'hundi' touches Rs 65 lakh. In a month, the amount of gold, diamond
and precious stones donated is staggering. India's richest temple, Thirumala
Tirupati Devasthanam, has a budget of Rs 675 crore but temple sources will
not reveal its surplus funds.
"Sometimes the jewellery from the hundi
is 30 to 40 kgs and at other times it weighs almost 116-120 kgs. And these
are given by ordinary people," said Anita Shah Akella, financial advisor
to the Tirumala Tirupati Devathanams in Andhra Pradesh.
The temple receives donations from Krishnadevaraya,
rulers of Mysore, and several ornaments from Kanchi Shankaracharya, MP D K
Adikeshavulu, Hema Malini, Vijay Mallya and many others. But now ordinary
people, who stand for long hours in the queue, give jewellery worth lakhs
of rupees for the idol.
Similarly, at Guruvayoor temple, sources said
almost 60 to 65% of the donations received come from far-flung towns considered
rural. The annual revenue amounts to Rs 80 crore and the temple has a corpus
of Rs 375 crore.
At Mumbai's Siddhivinayak temple, CEO Sanjay
Bhagwat agreed with the trend and said they received donations from places
like Cudappah in Andhra Pradesh, Junagadh, Palayam in Erode district in Tamil
Nadu, Kozhikode, Indore, Bhatinda in Punjab and from Solapur.
"In fact, we see such huge amounts flow
in from these small towns, that we have tied up with the post office and local
small banks for transfer of money," Bhagwat added. The temple receives
donations of Rs 31 lakh a month, apart from 'hundis'. Last year, it received
Rs 3.72 crore.
