Gods go digital too after demonetisation

Chennai: Stung by demonitisation, Gods are now turning to card machines to receive the hundial offerings from the devotees distressed over shortage of currency in their wallets.

The Thiruthani Murugan temple administration has introduced e-hundial facility that enables the devotees to swipe credit or debit cards to pay their kaanikkai (money offering) to Lord Muruga. “When we saw that many devotees were unable to make their kaanikkai to Murugar after the Rs 500 and Rs 1000 rupee notes were withdrawn, we spoke to IOB officials and got them to install the card machines on December 1. Almost immediately, the devotees started queuing up to swipe their cards for the e-hundiyal”, temple executive officer Sivaji Selvaraj told Deccan Chronicle.

The temple received about Rs 80 lakh a month on an average into its hundials but the demonetisation saw a dip in the daily collections. The card machines now brought in may not only make up for the shortfall but also fetch larger collections as the devotees are “most likely to be more generous while using the card than cash”, felt a local banker.

“Devotees are happy we brought in the card machines. The first devotee to use it after Thursday's inaugural swiped his card for Rs 5000. He said he was mighty happy that his money went straight into the Lord's bank account”, said Sivaji, who is the joint commissioner, HR&CE, Vellore region, holding additional charge as EO at Tiruttani temple, which is one of the Arupadaiveedu, the six holy abodes of Lord Muruga. The temple official also released advertisements in newspapers to inform the devotees about the new facility.

While Sivaji said he took inspiration from the card machines already working in the famous Sri Ranganathar temple at Srirangam, his e-initiative has excited the officials at another famous Arupadaiveedu. “It is an interesting initiative taken at Tiruttani, which meets the need of the hour. We will also set up card machines to facilitate devotees offering kaanikkai at our temple, pretty soon”, said T. Varadarajan, joint commissioner, HR&CE, holding charge at the Arulmigu Subramaniyaswamy temple in Tiruchendur.

The world-famous Meenakshiamman temple did not wait for PM Modi's demonetisation to instal card machines as e-hundiyal. "We have been operating the card machines for the last 4 to 5 years. Not many devotees used the machines, preferring the feel of their fingers dropping money into the hundiyal; but now more and more are coming to the machines due to the cash crunch", said N. Natarajan, joint commissioner, HR&CE, who administers the temple.

Tirumala Tirupati, the richest temple in India may soon catch up too, considering it receives hordes of devotees and loads of money in the massive hundi placed inside the premises. “Yes, that's a good idea and we may soon get the machines for e-hundiyal. Already, we have several bank counters around the shrine that collect the hundiyal offerings; besides, there are card machines operating for devotees wishing to pay for temple services such as stay accommodation and the prasadam laddus”, said Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanam EO, V. Kothandarama Rao.

(Reporting by Gokul Vannan @Madura), Arul Oli @Tiruchendur and Pathri Rajasekar @Nellore)