RAJANNA-SIRCILLA: Apparently, owing the Sri Rajarajeshwara Swamy (SRRS) temple in Vemulawada a whopping Rs 3.54 crore is no obstacle to walking off with sacks of human hair — not when one has the right connections.
Despite the contract period having ended and dues long pending, the contractor for human hair collection has not only taken delivery of the temple’s hair stockpile but also appears to have been granted the privilege of paying the outstanding sum in leisurely instalments.
Legal action?
It was initiated by the temple after the contractor refused to pay up for an entire year. But then, state officials allegedly stepped in, not to ensure the temple got its money back, but to help the contractor take the goods anyway. All under a helpful “concession” that allows the Rs 3.54 crore to be paid in bits and pieces.
“We are moving forward as per government orders. The contractor will pay Rs 50 lakh each month and by December, the entire dues will be cleared,” temple executive officer K Vinod Reddy told TNIE.
Sumith Enterprises, a company from Hindupur in Andhra Pradesh, secured the temple’s two-year hair collection contract (2023–25) for Rs 19.08 crore. The firm paid a deposit and issued post-dated cheques to cover monthly payments of Rs 79 lakh.
While this was all proper on paper, the cheques started bouncing as early as April 2024. The firm’s excuse was that the international market wasn’t quite as eager for Indian human hair as hoped.
Temple officials stopped handing over hair once the excuses started flowing and moved to safeguard the offerings. They even filed five cases against the contractor and began pursuing legal remedies. By December 31, 2024, the outstanding amount had ballooned to Rs 9.50 crore.
And then, just like that, it was decided — allegedly by top state officials — that the temple would release all hair in its possession if the contractor could muster a token Rs 2.50 crore. The rest could come later — Rs 2.50 crore each on March 28 and April 10 and 11, as per the instructions. Cheques were again accepted and the bouncing ones were conveniently overlooked.
Even though the contract ended on April 11, officials reportedly went a step further. Not only was the contractor allowed to continue providing post-dated cheques to cover the remaining Rs 3.54 crore (between June and December), but he also received 51 bags of hair collected from January to April 11 — after the contract ended. In an interesting twist, the same contractor — who still hasn’t paid the dues — is now reportedly trying to bag the rights once more.
Meanwhile, temple authorities claim they’ve ramped up surveillance at the Kalyana Katta (the hair-offering wing), complete with CCTV cameras. One assumes this is in case someone tries to sneak out a few more bags — without paying.