Chandan Pandey39 minutes ago
The alleged theft of offerings at the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya has upset devotees in Janakpur, Nepal, believed to be the birthplace of Goddess Sita and Lord Ram’s in-laws’ home.
Mahant Roshan Das of the Janaki Temple said he had never heard of such an incident at any Ram temple and called for strict action against those responsible.
He said the temple had contacted Ayodhya to check on the situation. A team of five to seven people from Janakpur is now likely to visit Ayodhya during the holy month of Sawan to express support, offer prayers and return.
VHP Dhanusha district president Santosh Shah said people in Janakpur were deeply hurt by the news. Janakpur Mayor Manoj Shah said Ayodhya authorities had assured them that all the gifts sent during the Ram Mandir consecration are safe in the temple museum.
Gifts sent from Janakpur during Ram Mandir consecration
During the Ram Mandir consecration in January 2024, Janakpur sent gifts symbolising Sita’s griha pravesh (homecoming).
Mahant Roshan Das had travelled to Ayodhya with around 500 devotees in three trucks, seven buses and 40 SUVs.
The offerings included:
- Silver khadau (wooden sandals), utensils, bow and arrows for Lord Ram.
- Gold necklaces, anklets, toe rings, waist belt, mangalsutra, earrings, forehead ornament and other bridal items for Goddess Sita.
- Around 1,100 baskets containing fruits, sweets, dry fruits, clothes and traditional gifts.
Ayodhya: Smaller notes increase after donation theft, making counting harder
Officials involved in counting temple donations said the mix of cash offerings has changed significantly after the alleged theft.
Earlier, donations often included 70-80 bundles of ₹500 notes, making counting faster. Now, ₹10 and ₹20 notes have increased sharply, while only about 15 bundles of ₹500 notes are being received.
The cash collected from 54 donation boxes is sent in six large containers to the counting centre. Staff said the higher number of small notes has made the counting process much slower.
Resignations leave donation counting staff short
The donation counting system is also facing a staff shortage after 23 counting personnel resigned over salary issues and longer working hours.
Only 13 counting staff remain, raising concerns over delays in counting donations.
Earlier, the work was done in two six-hour shifts. Now, employees work a single shift from 9 am to 6 pm. The counting work is being carried out through SBI.
Akhilesh Yadav seeks probe into temple workers’ call records
Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav has demanded an investigation into the call detail records of everyone working at the Ram Mandir.
He claimed that “99.9%” of the people working there would have links with the BJP and said the records should be examined as part of the investigation.
