COVID-19-induced lockdown has reduced revenue at Saundatti Yallamma temple in Belagavi district.
The Yallamma temple, one of the biggest in the country in terms of devotees it attracts, has witnessed a significant fall in its revenue. The temple attracts over 40 lakh devotees earning anywhere between ₹ 18-₹ 25 crore from donations and fees for various rituals in an average year.
The temple gets crowded on the four auspicious full moon days in December, January, February and April, when nearly five lakh devotees walk up the hill from Saundatti town, to pray before the mother Goddess.
But the temple has remained shut for devotees for over 160 days now.
Yallamma temple was closed on March 22, the day of the Janata curfew. The closure continued from the next day due to the nation-wide lockdown. In these five-and-a-half months, devotees have been banned from visiting the temple. Daily puja and VIP darshans have continued, however.
Deputy Commissioner M.G. Hiremath has extended the temple lockdown period till the end of September. The temple attracts devotees from several States. The extension was necessary to reduce the chances of the spread of the epidemic, say officers. They hint that the temple is likely to open by the first week of October.
The lockdown has hit the temple-centric economy, say local residents. “Petty traders who sell puja material, the Jogammas who perform for pilgrims and alms seekers have all been badly hit. Our earnings have been reduced. We are forced to dig into our savings to sustain our families,’’ said Mallanagouda Patil, one of the archaks of the temple. He hopes the temple opens its doors to devotees soon.
The temple has around 150 permanent and temporary staff. They are being paid out of the temple’s fixed deposits and other savings, the officers say.
Some infrastructure development initiated by the government has slowed down due to the lockdown. The State government approved development projects on the mountain and the water bodies in Saundatti town. This includes the construction of a Yatri Nivas guesthouse with 250 rooms, provision of clean water kiosks and individual and community toilet blocks, garbage collection and sewage treatment plants and construction and repair of roads and gutters.
“While the work on the Yatri Nivas is being taken up with the temple’s funds, the government funded the other works. Most of the works have been completed except the Yatri Nivas. The guesthouse building is ready, while furnishing is pending. It will be completed in six months,’’ said temple committee executive officer Ravi Kotargasti. He said that the temple’s annual revenue could come back to normal before next April.
