Not Swiggy! Karnataka temple priests on warpath against app orders for prasadam
Not possible for temples with limited logistical and financial resources to churn out large quantities of pongal or puliyogare overnight, archakas say, file petition
The over 1.50 lakh archakas (temple priests) in Karnataka, who come under the state Muzrai department, have sent a memorandum to the Siddaramaiah government.
They want the facility of allowing devotees to book prasadam (religious offering to the gods) online on temple apps discontinued.
The Karnataka government has promised to address the issue but the priests, well on the warpath, have declined to take any more online orders for now.
Where's the sanctity?
On July 25, the Akhila Karnataka Hindu Devalaya Archaka-Agamika and Upadhivantha Okkuta (Federation of All Karnataka Temple Priests) submitted a memorandum to the Endowment Commissioner, detailing the challenges they face catering to online orders for prasadams.
Speaking to The Federal, the Okkuta's Chief Principal Secretary, KSN Dixit, said: “The devotees are ordering prasadam online just like they order food from a restaurant. They make an order the previous night and expect it to be delivered by the morning. How can the archakas deliver 1 kg of puliyogare and 1 kg of pongal overnight?"
Moreover, this online service lowers the dignity and sanctity of the prasadam and the sacredness of temples, he said. "We are already facing so many problems and now we have to deal with the tedious issue of devotees ordering prasadams online," he added.
Several apps
There are several apps run by private entities that take orders online and deliver temple prasadam at the doorstep.
The government-run IndiaPost provides such a service, too. The website has links to order prasadam from various religious places across the country.
From Karnataka alone, devotees can order prasadam from 12 temples including the Kukke Subrahmanya Temple, Banashankari Amma Temple of Badami, and Renukadevi Temple Savadatti, among other places.
The logistics
In Karnataka, the scheme to order prasadam online was handled by the Muzrai department during the BJP regime in the state in mid-2019, said educationist and social activist Prof KE Radhakrishna, who was a joint signatory to the priests' memorandum.
Private companies have developed the apps for various temples from which devotees can order the prasadam, he said.
The online service not only lowers the dignity and sanctity of the deity’s prasadam, but also puts tremendous logistical pressure on the archakas, added Radhakrishna.
According to Dixit, Karnataka has over 34,000 endowment temples, of which 205 are classified under Category A and 193 temples under Category B.
Temple classification
The classification is made according to their revenue earning capacity. Those earning over ₹25 lakh per annum come under Category A. Those collecting ₹5-25 lakh fall under under Category B. Those earning revenue below ₹5 lakh are brought under Category C.
The priests in the smaller temples are finding it challenging to churn out prasadams for online orders.
“At Class B temples and some Class A temples, there is no provision to store groceries. Devotees book prasadam online the previous night through the mobile app and expect us to deliver it the next morning. How is it possible? Are we running a full-fledged kitchen like some temples being managed by wealthy trusts?” asked Sheshadri Bhat, Okkuta Vice-President.
According to Bhat, only a few temples, such as the Chamundeshwari Temple of Mysuru and Kukke Subrahamanya in Dakshina Kannada have warehouse facilities to store groceries, which enables them to produce prasadam in large quantities at short notice.
Time challenge
According to Dixit, the temples charge ₹300 to ₹400 for prasadam such as pongal and puliyogare.
“We need time to prepare the prasadam. It is tedious work and if we make any mistake, it will harm the temple’s reputation. Besides, temples need time to arrange for groceries as well. It becomes a challenge when devotees order 5 kg of prasadam. We are not a hotel,” pointed out Dixit.
An executive officer, who is in-charge of 10 temples in Karnataka, told The Federal on the condition of anonymity that a private company has created separate mobile apps for Karnataka temples on the government’s demand. These apps even sport the Karnataka government logo.
Devotees can also book an abhishekam, kukkumarchane and other services including prasadam online on these apps, he added.
Money issues
There's a financial angle, too. As the money gets credited to a private agency’s account, it takes a week or so for the funds to reach the temple.
“This has become a business rather than a religious service, which demands sanctity. We need money to buy groceries, but the money is being remitted to the agencies managing the mobile apps and it takes weeks for us to get it. Meanwhile, who will pay for the groceries to prepare more prasadam?" asked Dixit.
Redress in sight
Besides submitting a memorandum, a delegation of archakas also met Endowment Commissioner of Muzarai and Transport Minister Ramalinga Reddy and shared their concerns.
“Ramalinga Reddy understood the problem and he assured us that he will sort out the issue by organising a round-table comprising temple priests and Muzrai department officials,” said Dixit.
