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Unlike many of India’s oldest temples, the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust does not function under a dedicated state law.
Most major temples follow multi-tier systems designed to ensure that every rupee donated by devotees is accounted for. (AI-generated image)
The theft of donations at the Ram temple in Ayodhya has done more than trigger a criminal investigation; This has sparked a major debate on how India’s temples safeguard the crores of rupees donated by devotees every year.
As investigators look into alleged lapses in Ayodhya’s donation management system, attention has turned to the elaborate security measures adopted at some of the country’s biggest pilgrimage sites – from Tirupati and Jagannath to Vaishno Devi and Siddhivinayak.
Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust receives donations worth an estimated Rs 75 lakh every day, with this figure increasing rapidly during festivals. An SIT is currently probing allegations that employees handling these offerings misappropriated cash by taking advantage of CCTV blind spots and procedural gaps.
While the scrutiny is specific to Ayodhya, most major temples follow multi-layered systems designed to ensure that every rupee donated by devotees is accounted for.
How does the donation process usually work?
In India’s largest temples, the broad process is remarkably similar.
Once the devotee puts cash, jewelery or valuables in the hundi (donation box), only authorized staff opens the donation box. Cash, coins and valuables are taken to designated counting centers where donations are separated and counted. The entries related to them are recorded and verified. While the cash is deposited in specified bank accounts, the jewelery is inventoried and stored safely.
The entire chain is usually covered by CCTV surveillance and multiple officials are involved to reduce the possibility of manipulation.
How do different temples safeguard donations?
Tirupati Balaji
Tirumala Venkateshwara Temple, one of the richest temples in the world, follows one of India’s most sophisticated donation systems.
Its famous Parakamani (donation counting) process involves carefully vetted volunteers including permanent finance staff, representatives of nationalized banks and serving and retired government officials. Extensive CCTV surveillance is carried out by the vigilance wing of the temple and personnel are searched before entering and leaving the counting hall. Apart from pocketless uniforms to prevent concealment of cash, there are also armored transports to carry donations to banks under security escort.
However, the temple was rocked by an alleged embezzlement in 2023 when a temple employee was caught stealing cash during the hundi count. Investigators later alleged that around Rs 100 crore may have been embezzled over the years. At present the allegations are being investigated.
Jagannath Temple
At the Jagannath Temple, donation management is governed by statutory rules under the Sri Jagannath Temple Act.
As a security measure, donation boxes are opened only in the presence of the temple administrator or authorized gazetted officer and independent witnesses during counting. Hundis are compulsorily sealed before and after opening. Apart from CCTV surveillance, there are also statutory registers for cash and valuables. Along with physical donations, digital donation channels also help limit the possibilities of embezzlement and fraud.
Additionally, separate teams handle counting, supervision, security, and transportation, ensuring that no one group controls the process.
Vaishno Devi
Vaishno Devi Temple is managed by Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board under a dedicated statute. Instead of relying on individual trustees, donation boxes are opened by committees consisting of accounting officers, area managers and security personnel.
The temple also uses dedicated transportation systems to safely move cash and valuables from the temple to designated facilities.
Siddhivinayak Temple
At the Shri Siddhivinayak Temple in Mumbai, the main donation box is opened every week in the presence of a trustee, executive officer, a bank representative and an independent auditor.
The cash is counted under CCTV surveillance before being deposited into bank accounts, creating multiple layers of accountability.
Kashi Vishwanath
At Kashi Vishwanath Temple, district administration officials become part of the accountability process.
Donation boxes are opened under the supervision of a sub-divisional magistrate, while bank officials and retired gazetted officers watch the counting. Jewelery is valued by government approved valuers, and deposit receipts create an audit trail for each transaction.
How is Ram Mandir different?
Unlike many of India’s oldest temples, the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust does not function under a dedicated state law.
Most major temples, including Tirupati, Jagannath, Vaishno Devi, Siddhivinayak and Kashi Vishwanath, are governed by specific laws that define how governing bodies are constituted, financial procedures, audit mechanisms, government oversight and appointment of administrators.
However, the Ram temple is managed through a trust deed created after the Supreme Court’s 2019 Ayodhya verdict. Day-to-day administration, appointments and financial management rest largely with the Trust.
The difference between the Ram temple and many of the largest temples in India is not limited to just counting donations, but also who oversees the institution.
Many major temples, including Tirupati, Jagannath, Vaishno Devi and Kashi Vishwanath, are governed under dedicated laws that govern how their boards are constituted and how financial decisions are monitored. Their charity management systems usually involve executive officers, statutory administrators, government nominees, auditors, magistrates or bank officials whose roles are defined by law.
Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust, on the other hand, is an independent trust created by the Center in February 2020 to implement the Supreme Court’s Ayodhya verdict. Unlike statutory temple boards, its administration is largely handled within the trust.
Several key officials associated with the trust, including former general secretary Champat Rai, trustee Anil Mishra, administrator Gopal Rao and charity supervisor Subhash Srivastava, have long-standing associations with the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) or its affiliates. As a result, day-to-day administration and financial oversight remains concentrated within the Trust rather than being distributed among statutory officers appointed under a dedicated statute.
The internal administrative structure of the Trust also came under scrutiny early in its functioning. A private audit commissioned by the trust in November 2020 reportedly described the management structure as “highly unprofessional” and flagged the absence of systematic financial reporting. According to reports, it recommended standard operating procedures for financial transactions, strong internal maker-checker controls, clearly defined organizational hierarchies, formal HR processes, inventory registers for jewelery and strict accounting and IT oversight.
Unlike many statutory temple boards, the Ram Mandir Trust is also not subject to mandatory financial audit by the Central or Uttar Pradesh governments. Questions over the extent of public oversight have reached the courts in the past, while the trust has not publicly stated whether all of the recommendations made in the 2020 internal audit were subsequently implemented.
Who can manage the temple in India?
Contrary to popular belief, there is no single national law governing temples in India.
The Supreme Court has previously observed that, in the absence of legislation, virtually anyone can set up a temple and receive donations, unless state laws regulating religious endowments apply. Large temples are often governed by state-specific laws or public charitable trust rules, while thousands of smaller temples are privately managed.
Temple administration across India broadly follows three models:
Hereditary priesthood or family management.
Mahant- or mutt-led management.
Statutory boards or trusts created under state laws.
Can governments use temple donations?
Courts have consistently held that temple wealth belongs to the deity and the institution, not the government.
Although governments can regulate the administration of temples through legislation, they cannot divert temple donations to unrelated welfare schemes. Courts have also emphasized transparency, proper accounting and accountability in temple administration.
What went wrong in Ayodhya?
According to investigators, the alleged theft was not due to the absence of a donation system but due to failures in implementing it.
The SIT has alleged that the accused took advantage of CCTV blind spots, hid cash inside the washroom before removing it, took advantage of overwriting CCTV footage every 45 days and operated for several months before the discrepancies were detected.
Eight people have been arrested so far, while investigations into whether standard operating procedures were violated are ongoing. After their arrest, Rai and Mishra stepped down, saying they were doing so on moral grounds.
About the author
Apoorva Mishra is a News Editor at News18.com and has a keen interest in politics and current affairs. She loves uncovering new angles and telling stories through long-form features and explainers. Follow…read more
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