MANGALORE: With the total income crossing Rs 68 crore mark in the fiscal year 2013-14, Kukke Subramanya temple in Dakshina Kannada is the richest Muzrai (government-run) temple in state.
Following an increase in the number of devotees visiting the temple, the total income of the temple up to March 31, 2014, was Rs 68,00,02,276, according to figures released by the executive officer of the temple M Nagaraj.
Hundi collections stood at Rs 12,84,58,922 and offerings made as thanksgiving was Rs 28,09,55,845. The interest obtained from fixed deposits in different banks was `16,38,79,981 and the temple collected `1,42,72,830 as building rent. With 400 permanent employees and 200 temporary workers, the salary expenditure for the fiscal was Rs 6,05,11,453. The expenditure on annual car festival was Rs 1,35,24,521 crore, mass feeding costed Rs 5,62,77,423 and Rs 5,95,716 was spent on livestock and pachyderm maintenance.
The temple also generates income from agricultural activities in 40 acres of land of the 100 acres, Nagaraj said and added that as per the norms the revenue generated in previous fiscal was submitted to office of Commissioner for Religious Endowments in Bangalore.
A sum of Rs 8,17,91,095 was released for the ongoing Rs 180 crore master plan aimed at the integrated development of temple. The temple also runs a PU and degree college.
No Dip in Earnings
Devotees from all nook and corner of the country make a beeline at Kukke Subramanya temple to perform Sarpahatya dosha relief, Nagaprathishta, Ashlesha Bali among others. The temple’s total income which was just Rs 8 crore in 2000 witnessed a two-fold increase following a visit by cricketer Sachin Tendulkar to the temple in 2006.
The temple’s income in 2006-07 increased to Rs 19.76 crore and in 2007-08 it was Rs 24.44 crore. In the same year, it earned the unique distinction of being the richest among the Muzrai temples. The temple’s income showed no sign of dipping and in 2012-13, the temple, by making Rs 58 crore ensured that it is peerless when it comes to income.
Nagaraj said a whopping 37, 961 ‘Sarpasamskara’ rituals were preformed from April 2013 to March 31, 2014. On an average, 400 Ashlesha Bali rituals are performed in the temple. A huge chunk of income is being ploughed back to upgrading existing facilities in the temple town, he added.
