End to paid entries at temples? Movement against paid darshans going stronger

MUMBAI: With the arrest of a trustee of Trimbakeshwar Jyotirlinga temple in Nashik for earning handsome amounts by charging exorbitant fees for paid darshan, the  Mandir Mahasangh has called for stopping paid darshan facilities in temples. 

In fact, the movement against the concept of ‘paid darshan’ is growing stronger, with commoners voicing concern. 

Last week, the Trimbakeshwar police arrested Purushottam Kadlag, a trustee of Trimbakeshwar Devasthan Trust and two others Gotiram Pehre and Abhishek Kadlag, for the alleged financial exploitation of devotees.

“It has been revealed that despite the official darshan pass being priced at Rs 200, devotees were lured with promises of completing darshan within 10 minutes and were allegedly charged exorbitant amounts ranging from Rs 3,000 to Rs 12,000,” said Sunil Ghanwat, National Organizer, Mandir Mahasangh.

“A similar pattern has been observed at the Tuljabhavani temple in Dharashiv, where special darshan is offered through a Rs 200 “pass.” During the Navratri festival, the price of this pass increases to Rs 300, Rs 500, and even Rs 1,000. Several devotees have also reported being asked to pay additional unofficial charges for darshan,” he added.

According to Ghanwat, in principle, the concept of a ‘paid darshan service’ is deeply flawed, as it creates inequality among devotees based on financial capacity. “Devotees who travel long distances but lack financial means are left at a disadvantage. Denying Darshan due to inability to pay is not only an affront to faith but also a violation of the fundamental right to religious practice guaranteed by the Constitution,” he said. 

“In the eyes of the Divine, all devotees are equal—irrespective of wealth. Therefore, the darshan system must be uniform and accessible to all. Temples are sacred places of worship, not commercial establishments meant for revenue generation. Additionally, the black-marketing of darshan passes is reportedly increasing, further aggravating the issue,” he said. 

“When temples come under government control or are managed by politically appointed committees, devotion often gives way to commercial interests. The incident at Trimbakeshwar highlights the adverse consequences of such a system. In a culture that upholds the principle of “Atithi Devo Bhava,” it is unfortunate that devotees are allegedly being exploited by those entrusted with temple administration,” he added. 

The Mandir Mahasangh has demanded a thorough investigation into the ‘paid darshan’ practices to identify all individuals involved. “To prevent recurrence of such incidents, it has been urged that trustees should be appointed based on devotion and integrity rather than political affiliation. Necessary amendments in the governing rules of temple institutions should be made to implement this change,” he added.