Temple Board streamlines donation in temples

The problem of accepting donations or 'dakshina' from the devotees and giving them preferential treatment in return  has always plagued the religious centres. In an attempt to curb this evil, the Travancore Dewaswom Board has introduced certain restrictions.

According to the new restrictions put in place by the Board Commissioner N. Vasu vide his circular dated September 28, 2011, hereafter only those people who have paid money and received receipt for offering shall get prasadam in banana leaf. Other worshippers shall get prasadam in their palms.

Further, display boards will display that the employees are paid by the Board and they shall not be paid by the worshippers for their services. The worshippers shall place their donations in the temple’s donation box, kanikkavanchi. Further, no offering should be made to the deity without proper receipt.

The Board hopes that this move will deter the preferential treatment of the people who paid greater money because the whole process will become organised. This will also put a stop to the malpractice that the priests indulge in, collecting huge amounts from some people and giving them VIP treatment.

It is noteworthy, that such a step had been contemplated once before in  March, 1991 which sought to stop this culture of paying money totally. The move had been shot down by the then Commissioner. The present system, while not abolishing the tradition, merely puts it in a more well administered form.

The Board has also decided to shift the place where the prasadam is distributed from. They are planning to distribute it from some other place rather than the front of the sanctum.