Mahbubnagar: Priests face financial crunch with less devotees turnout

Mahbubnagar: Though the government has accorded permission for opening of temples across the State, livelihood of thousands of priests has hit hard across Palamuru region. With hardly any devotees visiting temples fearing the virus, the income of priests and 'purohits' has steeply fallen and they are struggling hard to make the ends meet.

After lockdown restrictions were eased, almost all temples were opened across Palamuru region and every day priests are performing daily rituals and puja.

But there were no devotees turn up, who were afraid of Covid-19, thus making the temples to look vacant. This has put a dent not only on temple hundi income, but also adversely impacted the livelihood of priests, who depend on temples only.

Anjaneya Swamy temple in Devarkadra mandal of Mahabubnagar district used to draw hundreds of devotees every day. After the government withdrew lockdown restrictions, the footfall of devotees has drastically reduced, which made the temple priests to think about their livelihood.

Devarakonda temple priest Sanjeev lamented that they were unable to meet their family expenses. 'There is no financial aid for us either from Endowments department or from the government except the salary and whatever offerings given by devotees,' he said.

Even without income or offerings, some priests are still performing regular poojas and other rituals by spending from their own pockets across the district. They demanded that the government should provide them financial assistance to run their families. "We hope that God will definitely eradicate the deadly virus and very soon will restore normalcy across the globe. We wish that very soon temples will once again flourish with devotees," said Nagaraju, a priest from a temple in Mahabubnagar district headquarters.

Even in Nagarkurnool district, which has a number of historical temples such as famous Someshwara temple and Singotam Lakshmi Narasimha temple in Kollapur, which every year lakhs of devotees and tourists visit, are now turned lifeless with no devotees.

On an average, it is estimated that priests could earn from Rs 300 to even Rs 1,500 per day depending on the number of devotees visiting the temples and offerings made by them. Besides, they earn some amount by conducting marriage and other functions and special pujas. But now, with the corona threat, there are no functions and no income to the priests, making them to endure hardship.