Leave it to the gods to make sense of your Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes. This is what scores of Mumbaikars have been doing at the Siddhivinayak Temple, ever since PM Narendra Modi announced the demonetisation of the high denomination notes
The temple authorities counting the donations they received from November 7 to 16. Pics/Rane Ashish
Leave it to the gods to make sense of your Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes. This is what scores of Mumbaikars have been doing at the Siddhivinayak Temple, ever since PM Narendra Modi announced the demonetisation of the high denomination notes. The temple has seen a rise of nearly 28 per cent in the donation of Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes in the last 10 days, authorities revealed after yesterday’s counting.
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Temple authorities count the donations got over the last 10 days
The temple usually counts the weekly donations every Monday. But since this Monday was a bank holiday on account of Guru Nanak Jayanti, the counting was done on Wednesday. Authorities avoid counting on Tuesdays as swarms of devotees visit the temple on the day.
Sharp rise in defunct notes
“The average weekly collection is Rs 46.23 lakh. But, in the last 10 days, the temple has received Rs 59.44 lakh. Though there is hardly any difference between the amounts, the surprise element was a sharp rise in Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes received as donation,” said a senior treasury official from the temple. “The rise is nearly 28 per cent.”
Also Read: Post demonetisation, donation boxes at Mumbai hospitals flooded with Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes
According to the authorities dealing with the cash counting process, a week before the demonetisation, they collected Rs 6.12 lakh in Rs 500 notes and Rs 8.77 lakh in Rs 1,000 notes. But after the PM’s announcement, the collection from Rs 500 notes stood at Rs 10.13 lakh while Rs 14.50 lakh was collected in Rs 1,000 notes.
On Wednesday, mid-day had reported about the dwindling number of devotees at the Siddhivinayak Temple on Tuesday, which usually is a very busy day. But, despite this Tuesday’s downfall in the number of devotees, there was hardly any difference in the money received through donations.
Impact on charity, not temple
Temple trust chairman Narendra Rane said, “The temple spends huge quantum of the donation in providing financial assistance to patients and students. If this trend continues, then there is no issue. But if there is a downfall in collection, then temple would have to redesign the plans they have chalked out for charity.”
Sanjeev Patil, chief executive officer of the temple, said, “The amount spent for school education or medical assistance is budgeted and planned in advance. Any minor changes in the collections received through donations will not have any impact on the functioning of the temple.”
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