A digital payment facility has been launched at the Sri Rajarajeshwara Swamy temple in Vemulawada for the convenience of devotees.
Initially, three digital kiosk machines were installed on the temple premises and at Bheemeshwara Sadan. Devotees can make payments using credit and debit cards, PhonePe, Google Pay and other payment apps.
With online payments becoming widely used, temple authorities decided to introduce the digital payment system for various rituals offered at the shrine. After consultations with bank officials, the system was started on an experimental basis at the protocol office last month. Following its successful implementation, the services were expanded to other departments, temple sources said.
Bank officials also briefed temple authorities on the use of point-of-sale (PoS) machines.
Except for donations by philanthropists, transactions had so far been conducted through cash. Known as Dakshina Kashi, the temple receives about `100 crore in annual revenue through various services, including main booking, Kodemokku booking, guest house bookings and laddu prasadam sales.
Though 10 to 12 types of rituals are offered at the shrine, Kodemokku generates the highest revenue at about `18 crore, followed by guest house rentals at `3 crore to `4 crore.
Temple authorities said the absence of an online payment facility had meant that devotees seeking to perform various rituals had to visit ATMs to withdraw cash.
Temple executive officer L. Rama Devi, who inaugurated the services on recently, said the digital payment system would address the cash-related difficulties faced by devotees. The services were introduced for their convenience, she said.
The temple already has an online booking facility for various services. Kodemokku, Rudrabhishekam, Annapuja, Aakulapuja, Shivakalyanam, Mahalingarchana, Peddaseva, Pallakiseva, Thalanilalu, Satyanarayana Vratham, Bonam rituals at Baddipochamma temple and guest house bookings can be made online in advance.
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