Ayodhya is projected as more than a temple. It is presented as a civilisational project, a symbol of faith, national pride and collective sacrifice. Millions of devotees contributed money, trust and emotion to what was portrayed as a sacred endeavour transcending politics and commerce. That is precisely why allegations of financial irregularities or fund theft linked to the temple carry significance far beyond the loss of money.
The grand temple was built on the contributions, hopes and devotion of millions. Any suspicion that those resources may have been misused strikes at the heart of public trust. It has led to questioning whether religious bodies should collect huge funds or whether there should be a cap on donations by any devotee for checking pilferage and ensuring transparency.
The episode also exposes a larger Indian paradox. Religious institutions today command enormous financial resources and public influence, yet many remain shielded from the levels of transparency routinely demanded of governments and corporations. Should not the custodians of faith assure devotees that their offerings serve the purpose for which they were given? Or should there be a check on unnecessary huge collections across religious dispensations?
The Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust reported that massive crowdfunding drives—such as the massive Samarpan Nidhi campaign—brought in roughly Rs 5,500 crore to Rs 6,000 crore in public donations. The funds cover not only the main temple construction but also broader pilgrimage infrastructure in Ayodhya.
The present total highest collection, called gullak collection, is Rs 327 crore in 2024-25. The trust’s massive fixed deposits – Rs 173 crore– exceed physical and online donations (Rs 153 crore) in that cycle. The maximum pilferage is at the counting of currency notes. The SIT is told that for each bundle of notes, around three – presumably of Rs 50,000 each or around Rs 1.5 lakh per 10 bundles – were clandestinely pilfered away.
On special occasions and weekends, gullaks collect more. Proportionately, it is assumed pilferage also goes up at the centre of the controversy, the Pilgrim Facilitation Centre, about 200 metres from the Ram Temple, the currency counting centre.
Hindu organisations claimed that cash and precious metals collected during the mass mobilisation campaigns of the late 1980s and early 1990s were never fully accounted for. Those accusations were denied by leaders associated with the fundraising effort at the time. While never conclusively established, the controversy has periodically returned to public debate and has once again been invoked by political critics in the wake of the current donation-fund dispute.
While it is believed that the Re 1 donation-cap could bring donations down drastically, it would still collect Rs 6.3 to Rs 7.8 crore a month or over Rs 100 crore a year. But temples and many devotees are sceptical about the cap. The reason is stated to be transparency in the numbers of devotees and their contributions.
The Re 1 is Tamil Nadu’s Pallavan Transport formula. A Re 1 ticket brought the basic transparency in the number of bus passengers travelling and stopped its fund leakages. Auditing became easier. The formula could be good for anywhere.
India’s total religious and spiritual market size is huge. The broader religious economy is massive, with households giving to religious causes estimated between Rs 16,600 crore and Rs 23,700 crore annually. Overall temple assets alone are valued at an estimated over Rs 3 lakh crore.
According to the Centre for Social Impact and Philanthropy (CSIP), religious organisations attract about 70% of all household philanthropic donations in India. Middle-class households provide the largest share of these routine offerings.
The breakdown of India’s religious funds highlights massive localised assets and robust ongoing donations. The Hindu temples account for the largest share of tangible wealth. The Tirupati Balaji Temple disclosed a net worth of Rs 2.5 lakh crore. The Sree Padmanabhaswamy Temple holds an estimated Rs 1.2 lakh crore in assets.
Sikh gurdwaras have institutional and land assets valued between Rs 75,400 crore and Rs 94.400 crore, respectively, predominantly utilised for public service and feeding programmes (langar). Christian institutions, mosques, and Jain trusts also manage billions in educational, charitable, and infrastructural assets.
While discussion can seemingly be open, not many institutions, irrespective of religion, like transparency. Nor do they want a cap on donations, and auditing is more technical. Ayodhya, for its prominence, is still under greater scrutiny. Others have just a semblance.
— ©INFA