Temple scams one should know about. Please contribute.

Status
Not open for further replies.
^ Since every phone has a camera, is everyone charged? Do you get charged double if you have a front facing cam also?
 
I remember that when we visited the Jagannath Temple in Puri, some guy at the entrance hit us with two sticks on the head, then demanded money before he would let us enter. Fortunately some regular visitors were passing buy and let us know that payment was optional.
 
In the 10 days of Ganesh Chaturthi, in Pune, the idol from Dagdushet Mandir is kept outside in a pandal for viewing. There is also usually a long line for darshan. Here the people manning the queues will tell you to not click photos and it is not allowed and such. I questioned them why are then vendors selling the pics outside and why are TV channels airing about the idol on Tv and you allow them ?
He wasn't able to answer my questions and did not say anything while I took the photos.
 
  • Like
Reactions: bigbyte, Kilroyquasar, swatkats and 2 others
Yeah,they charged me for using my SLR . Kanya Kumari temple was far better as they did not charge for anything and did not ask to wear dhoti etc.[DOUBLEPOST=1406432175][/DOUBLEPOST]I dont know if things have changed in Shirdi or not. But when we went there,we got to stand in VIP section and before us were VVIP . Those who are not in these groups,you can see SAI BABA in big LCD`s. That is not good. I wonder if Sai Baba would have expected this.
 
raksrules said:
In the 10 days of Ganesh Chaturthi, in Pune, the idol from Dagdushet Mandir is kept outside in a pandal for viewing. There is also usually a long line for darshan. Here the people manning the queues will tell you to not click photos and it is not allowed and such. I questioned them why are then vendors selling the pics outside and why are TV channels airing about the idol on Tv and you allow them ?
He wasn't able to answer my questions and did not say anything while I took the photos.
Click to expand...

Yes same is true about any other temple in Mumbai too...

Have seen the pandits themselves click pictures along with their family.But its not allowed to local crowd.My friend notice same when he was clicking and his phone confiscated.Only he got it back when he said he will create scene on the spot since other were clicking.He got mob bak but was escorted by their peeps to gate soon.And told he shouldnt be seen again and his Face shown to peeps at entrance so hat if he again enters he shd be taken to some trap door and kicked..
 
raksrules said:
Taking cue from a reddit thread, I am opening this one. We have like numerous temples in this country and however believer in God you or me may be, we also know these religious places are a great place for scammers to prey on religious beliefs of the devotees. So if you are aware about any such shrines in any part of the country where you believe some sort of scam is running, please enlist here.
One from my side...

There is a place called shani shingnapur near Shirdi in Maharashtra. It is said that here theft or robbery never happens. But you have scammer vendors doing day light robbery.
As soon as you go park your vehicle or taxi (I believe taxi drivers are also involved), the vendors will come running to you and ask the men to wear dhoti compulsory if they want to enter the temple. This is a complete lie. Only if you want to offer oil to the shani deity then you need to wear dhoti else you can very well enter the temple with jeans tshirt and such clothes. I have been to this place couple of times and always the scenario is same. They will say irrespective of whether you want to offer oil or not, dhoti is compulsory. Do not fall for this scam.
Click to expand...

the dhoti-wearing & bathing rituals have been done for now. but the coaxing for purchasing the pooja-saamagri continues as ever. but by being assertive (or/and by simply telling that you are here for the umpteenth time now, whereby, the shopkeeper then tries to sell you the basket with the minimal saamagri, and i think the cheapest one too ;) ), one can either buy less, or buy nothing at all, and enter the temple-premises. also, sometimes, if you are in your own vehicle, some people would jump in front of it and ask, or rather, command you to park it at a particular location, which is infact near a shop, and they are just accomplices of that shop-owner. you may just move ahead without paying heed to their antics, and park your vehicle at the designated parking-space in front of the temple's main-gate. if its full, then that's another thing, and you may like to then park nearby some shop, and oblige the shopkeeper by purchasing some saamagri, but that happens seldom, and usually the parking-lot has ample vacancy.

P.S. - before you enter the boundaries of Shingnapur, there's a sort of toll-booth where you have to pay i think 10 bucks or something. the personnel there (localiites; temple management committee workers i guess) distribute leaflets/pamphlets printed in Hindi & Marathi, that explain what all to do, what to avoid, etc. clearly. if anyone wants to have a read, let me know. i think i have a scanned copy of it with me. :p
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: ashishsahu
In our Jain Temples i never saw any type of scams like this. And for Puja thalis you can have it any amount like 11, 21, 51 Also Everyone is allowed in Jain Temples and there is no Queue even in biggest Pilgrimage.

These experiences are based on my visiting those temples.
 
I mean,here in Himachal - prasad in temples is no given on the basis of the amount you donate. Its served equally to all be it rich or poor. And the pundits dont get pissed even if you come again and again to take the prasad. I did that a lot as a kid but was never rebuked. I wish if there is uniformity in all the temples.
 
I think Government should make Control Rates for the queue and for Puja thalis and for prashad. Even Government should provide Subsidy.:p
 
VIP Darshan is the biggest scam. Why should some people be allowed to pay extra and get instant darshan and the rest should stand in lines for 4-6 hours.

I have seen temple's charging 500/- for a coconut when it is for something like an 'utaara' or something and then they will charge 200/- per garland when the time for Guru Purnima or some similar occassion comes.
 
At least in Kerala, most of all temples are maintained by Govt. and employees from famous temples are paid okayish.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Devaswom_boards_in_Kerala

Temples are maintained OK in comparison with earlier times because of this.

However (from wiki), The Devaswom Board has been seen as corrupt and making improper use of profits from temples. Other criticism include the inability of the Board to sufficiently operate major temples in Kerala, despite the huge profits that the Board receives. This is thought to be a product of corruption inherent within the Board.
 
I went to horanadu annapoorneshwari temple some time back. it was an awesome experience. the drive was wonderful and the scenic beauty around the temple was breathtaking, above all you get free food at the temple which is better than the hotel food woot. yeah, no tickets anywhere. and you can go on a shopping spree for spices like cloves, cardamoms etc...
 
RD274 said:
^ Since every phone has a camera, is everyone charged? Do you get charged double if you have a front facing cam also?
Click to expand...
Nope they ask you if you want to take pics. If not they ask to take out your phone and put a sticker on the camera. They aren't worried about the front facing cam.

And if you are going to how they actually enforce it, I don't know. I used my camera and use it as I wanted :)
 
After reading this thread, I feel this "scam" virus is yet to infect the Goan temples, at least the ones I visit (though rarely). There is no forced rituals or buying of pooja samagri or dakshina to the pundits. Photography is not supposed to be allowed, and they don't really check for camera or camera phones. Don't know what happens if you are caught while taking photo.
 
raksrules said:
Taking cue from a reddit thread, I am opening this one. We have like numerous temples in this country and however believer in God you or me may be, we also know these religious places are a great place for scammers to prey on religious beliefs of the devotees. So if you are aware about any such shrines in any part of the country where you believe some sort of scam is running, please enlist here.
One from my side...

There is a place called shani shingnapur near Shirdi in Maharashtra. It is said that here theft or robbery never happens. But you have scammer vendors doing day light robbery.
As soon as you go park your vehicle or taxi (I believe taxi drivers are also involved), the vendors will come running to you and ask the men to wear dhoti compulsory if they want to enter the temple. This is a complete lie. Only if you want to offer oil to the shani deity then you need to wear dhoti else you can very well enter the temple with jeans tshirt and such clothes. I have been to this place couple of times and always the scenario is same. They will say irrespective of whether you want to offer oil or not, dhoti is compulsory. Do not fall for this scam.
Click to expand...


You can offer Oil in normal clothes as well. In this case you pour it into a machine of sorts which pumps it over the deity.
 
I had gone to a GSB math or ashram in Uttarkashi or Uttaranchal. Its very near to that Shiv idol that got submerged in flood last year.
Their rates for prasad for normal people start from 100 onwards till a lakh. There's a Dahisar Kashi math or something in Dahisar in Mumbai and when these guys ask for donation its usually in lakhs.
GSB community is made up of crorepatis I guess. :eek:
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Top Bottom