Archakas (temple priests) have been facing severe financial problems. The lockdown and the restrictions on devotees due to the COVID-19 pandemic, robbed them of even the sundry income they get from devotees due to cancellation of ‘abhishekams’ and special ‘pujas.’
Temples were closed to devotees for nearly three months after the lockdown in March. During the period, only priests were allowed to perform the daily rituals. The archakas of small temples found it very difficult to even support their families during the lockdown.
There was not much improvement in their financial conditions even after the temples reopened for devotees on June 8. ‘Abhishekam’ and other rituals remain cancelled and only ‘darshan’ is allowed, that too in a limited way, due to COVID-19 protocols.
The cancellation of special pujas during the auspicious Sravana masam and postponement of weddings added to their woes.
Meagre salary
There are an estimated 50,000 temples in Visakhapatnam district. Over 95% are small temples with less revenue and do not come under the purview of the Endowments Act. Most of the archakas are paid meagre salaries in the range of ₹2,000 to ₹3,000 per month even in temples under the control of the Endowments Department.
Only 30% of the income of the temple is given as establishment expenses for meeting the salaries of staff. While the clerical and administrative staff at the temples are paid more than 10 times that of the archakas.
“A Supreme Court order says that the archakas are the most important persons in a temple after the deity and that their salaries should be paid first. The Pay Revision Commission scale is being implemented for attenders, junior assistants and other employees, but not for archakas. We have represented the issue to the authorities and Ministers several times in the past, but justice was not done to us so far,” says Muralikrishna, joint secretary of the Uttarandhra Archaka Sangham.
To add insult to the injury, the Endowments Department puts up boards at the temples under its control asking devotees to put their offerings only into the hundis, thereby depriving priests of the offerings given to them by devotees.
“A circular was issued in August, 2019, by the government, directing that the archakas should be paid between ₹10,000 (minimum) and ₹35,000 a month, based on the population, apart from extension of other benefits. But the same has not been implemented so far,” adds Mr. Muralikrishna.