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Now, Kanpur’s Anandeshwar Temple to accept cashless donations
The Anandeshwar Temple in Kanpur has applied for GPRS-enabled point-of-sale terminals (card swiping machines) to help devotees donate through debit and credit cards.
The Anandeshwar Temple has decided to accept cashless donations for ‘shringar’ and ‘rudrabhishek’ rituals to support Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s war against black money.
Situated on the banks of the Ganga, the temple has applied for GPRS-enabled point-of-sale terminals (card swiping machines) to help devotees donate through debit and credit cards.
“The PM’s mission is important to weed out black money from the system,” head priest of Anandeshwar Temple Ramesh Puri Maharaj told HT.
“The temple administration believes going cashless will set an example for the people. Cashless transactions will be accepted for ‘shringar’ and ‘rudrabhishek’ while the cash coming in donation boxes will be deposited in the bank,” he said.
The temple has applied for PoS machines from Gwaltoli branch of Punjab National Bank where the temple has its accounts. Cash swiping machines will be available at the temple later this week.
Cash donations at the temple had shrunk after the government declared high-value currency illegal on November 8.
Next week onwards, the temple authorities will start convincing shopkeepers in the vicinity to accept debit and credit card payments from devotees.
“We will speak to traders and also appeal to devotees to make cashless donations,” said Ajay Pujari, spokesman of the temple.
Dedicated to Lord Shiva, it is one of the oldest temples in Uttar Pradesh.
About 50,000 devotees visit the temple on Mondays while other days of the week draw 20,000 worshippers every day. During the month of Shrawan, nearly one lakh devotees visit the temple every day.
The temple charges Rs 6,100, Rs 11,000, Rs 21,000, and Rs 31,000 for ‘shringar’ — a ritual to anoint and enrobe the deity for the day. Devotees have to pay Rs 5,100 for ‘rudraabhishek’, the ritual bath of ‘Shivalingam’. The temple gives receipt for payments.
The temple’s decision to accept card payments comes on the heels of the Kanpur bar association urging lawyers to go cashless and install point of sale terminals or use e-wallets for accepting payments.
“Our members have made the beginning, I think everyone will be going for digital banking; it is better,” said Yogendra Awasthi, general secretary of the association.
Lawyer Sharad Tripathi became the first man on court campus when he received his fee through Paytm on Saturday.
“My clients are having difficulty in paying me so I opted for this way,” he said.
