With no devotees, staff at private temples in Kerala facing tough times

Private temples in Kerala, which are majorly dependent on the donations made by devotees for their functioning, are currently facing tough times as they do not have enough money to pay the wages of their staff amid the lockdown.

Thiruvananthapuram (Kerala): The COVID-19 lockdown, which has been adversely impacting many livelihoods, has also taken a toll on the temples in Kerala, as the lives of people working at temples has now come to a standstill.

The lockdown may not have been disastrous for those working in the temples under the Devaswom boards as they are likely to get their pay from the board. However, the case is different for temples under private trusts, which are mostly being run on the meagre income from the temples.

As the entry to all places of worship has been totally restricted, there is no income for the temples through poojas, vazhipadu (offerings made in the Temple) or through kanikka (money offerings) in hundials (collection boxes in temples). The temple authorities who are badly affected have been struggling to pay their staff and continue the daily poojas for the deities.

In such temples across the state, only a meagre pay is being given to the priests. The Dakshina (money given to the priests voluntarily by devotees) that they used to receive was the mainstay of their income. However, as no one can enter the temple due to lockdown, this has also come to nil.

In these circumstances, when the lockdown has been further extended, the priests and daily workers at the privately run temples are not able to meet their daily expenses.

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