The government move to withdraw currency of Rs. 500 and Rs. 1,000 denominations has been impacting collections at temples as devotees are dumping the scrapped notes in hundis.
A couple of days ago, the Machavaram Anjaneya Swamy temple officials were taken by surprise when they opened the hundi (collection box). They found the demonetised Rs. 1,000 and Rs. 500 notes' bundles along with a few notes of lesser denominations. They found 50 to 60 bundles of Rs 1,000 and Rs. 500 denomination currency.
Temple executive officer N. V. Sambasiva Rao said that the temple usually receives about Rs. 3 lakh as hundi offerings from devotees in about two months. This was the first time the temple hundi collection crossed Rs. 1 crore, which was a quantum leap. Generally, there would be a jump in the offerings during festivals but definitely not at this magnitude, he observed.
Another temple, Jaladheeswara shrine at Ghantasala, received Rs. 50 lakh a week ago. A major portion of this offering was Rs. 500 and Rs.1000 currency notes.
Sri Durga Malleswara Swamyvarla Devasthanam, one of the major temples in the State, is also not lagging. The temple has been receiving lakhs of rupees in specified notes. The temple received Rs. 22.58 lakh in Rs. 1000 denomination by November 11 and another Rs. 56.25 lakh in Rs. 500 notes. In a subsequent collection on November 17, devotees deposited Rs. 6.83 lakh worth of Rs. 1000 currency notes and Rs. 22.34 lakh worth of Rs.500 currency notes. The trend continued on November 24 counting also. The temple received Rs. 601 notes of Rs.1000 and 2,681 notes of Rs. 500. Another Rs. 3.79 lakh worth Rs. 1000 and Rs.500 notes were deposited on November 25. The hundis fill up fast during festivals and auspicious occasions. Rs 100, Rs 50, Rs 20 and Rs 10 and coins in the hundi are less compared to higher denomination currency.
Unprecedented collections as specified notes find their way into hundis
