For years, devotees have been dropping letters in Hundi requesting the temple administration for basic amenities… but in vain

Mysore/Mysuru: The renowned Srikanteshwara Swami Temple in Nanjangud, often called the Temple Town or Dakshina Kashi, generates an annual revenue of more than Rs. 30 crore from devotees’ offerings. Yet, the same devotees are left to sleep on roadsides and in the open area in front of the Temple.

The Temple’s earnings are counted monthly and in July alone, the Hundi collection amounted to Rs. 1,12,92,056. Additionally, 51 grams and 380 milligrams of gold, 1.8 kg of silver and 40 foreign currency notes were deposited. In 2023, this Temple earned Rs. 30.73 crore.

Despite this wealth, devotees are forced to sleep outside the Temple ‘Prakara,’ which merges with the road, due to lack of basic amenities, including night shelters. The Temple also lacks sufficient washrooms.

Women performing sacred rituals at the Kapila River bathing ghats face the indignity of having no proper facilities for changing clothes. There are also no provisions for clean drinking water or                                 proper sanitation.

Families, including women, children and girls, flock to the Temple daily, with numbers doubling every Sunday night for a holy darshan on Monday morning, the ‘Day of Shiva.’ The crowds swell even further during Shivarathri and Dasara.

Despite the substantial revenue generated for the State Government from the Hundi collection, along with gold and silver offerings, the authorities have neglected to provide basic facilities for devotees. Women, children and young girls are forced to sleep on the ground in front of the Temple, under dim lights.

Speaking to Star of Mysore, S. Chandrashekhar, District Convener of Yuva Brigade, expressed concern over the situation.

“Women and children are the most vulnerable here. When the Hundis were opened in July this year, many letters were found, written by frustrated devotees seeking divine intervention for even basic amenities. In Nanjangud, there is a strong belief that writing to the deity can help solve their problems,” he said.

Chandrashekhar further highlighted that some devotees had written in these ‘Letters to the Lord’ about being mistreated when staying in the Temple premises. “They reported being beaten with sticks by the Police, trampled with boots and forced to seek accommodation in lodges, which many cannot afford,” he pointed out.

Notably, on Oct. 1, 2020, a girl child was abducted from a woman sleeping in the Temple premises. Fortunately, the Nanjangud Police arrested the man and safely returned the child to her mother.

A group of women devotees from Bengaluru, Maddur, Bannur and Channapatna shared their concerns with Star of Mysore during their visit to the Temple. “We often come here, as Lord Srikanteshwara is our family deity, but there are no toilets, changing rooms or night shelters. There are no large halls or ‘Chathra’ for us to stay in, so we are forced to sleep on the road. The cold becomes unbearable after midnight and when it rains, we have no choice but to get soaked. When we bathe in the river, we are often subjected to men ogling at us,” they rued.

Another devotee, who had brought her three children, added, “In places like Dharmasthala, there are proper arrangements. We’re not asking for luxuries, just basic facilities. We can’t sleep because we’re worried our children might be stolen and mosquitoes constantly bite them. We have to stay awake to watch over them.”

It may be mentioned here that Star of Mysore had published a news item titled  ‘Letters to Lord seek facilities at Srikanteshwara Temple’  on Aug. 8, 2024.