The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh / Hyderabad News : Chilkur temple revives Daily Puja Fund

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Wednesday, Apr 02, 2008
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Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh - Hyderabad

Chilkur temple revives Daily Puja Fund

Special Correspondent

HYDERABAD: The Chilkur Balaji temple has revived its Daily Puja Fund, a concept started in 1977 for using the interest earned on the fund for pujas.

Over 30 years ago, a corpus was created for the purpose with a contribution of Rs. 100 each from 1,000 devotees and put in a fixed deposit.

The interest earned was used for everyday rituals without accepting cash offerings from devotees.

The FDs were converted into cumulative deposits in 1987 when the Endowments Act came into force creating uncertainty over the continuation of the unique system of worship that became synonymous with Chilkur temple without hundi collections.

But the recent GO 260 that restored autonomy to the temple to continue to run on non-commercial lines, paved the way for the revival of the Daily Puja Fund.

Bank deposits

“The temple has Rs. 58.5 lakh in FDs under the fund now, including Rs. 38.4 lakh earned on the parking area, which was deposited in State Bank of India, Moinabad branch last week,” the temple’s chief hereditary priest, M.V. Soundar Rajan said.

Besides the said GO, the Endowments Act 33/2007 under Sec.29(3) (iv), also mentioned that the FDs shall not be encashed under any circumstances by the executive authority making it a permanent fund.

Those interested may offer a minimum of Rs. 100 in cash in Andhra Bank branches across the world to be deposited in SB a/c No. 911/SB/1/8633 of Sri Balaji Venkateswara Swamy Temple maintained with Andhra Bank, Pedda Mangalaram (Moinabad) branch. Devotees may also contribute through State Bank of Hyderabad branches across India into SB a/c No.62055583940 of Sri Balaji Venkateswara Swamy Temple, SBH, Moinabad, he said.

“We were offered 10 per cent interest and annual interest will be used for daily pujas. As the FD amount grows in future, the surplus interest amount will be allocated for maintaining smaller temples in rural areas,” Mr. Soundar Rajan said.

“We also envisage the permanent daily puja fund as permanent FDs would enable the banks create credit facility for the farmers and artisans in the rural areas and help improve rural economy, ” he said.

Out of 29,000 small temples in the State, 24,400 temples at present have an income below Rs.1,000 per annum, he said.

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