An incident that occurred in Tamil Nadu’s Thiruporur, near Chennai, is grabbing global attention. A temple in Tamil Nadu reportedly denied a devotee’s request to return his iPhone, which he accidentally dropped into the ‘hundi’ (donation box). The temple has asserted that the iPhone, once dropped, has now become temple property. The man, identified as Dinesh, immediately approached the officials of the Sri Kandaswamy Temple in Thiruporur, where his iPhone had fallen into the hundi, requesting that his phone be returned. However, the Tamil Nadu Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments Department politely declined his request, stating that since the phone had entered the donation box, it had now become the temple’s property. Dinesh had dropped the device into the hundial while making a donation.
What The Temple Administration Said
On Friday, after the offering box was opened, the temple administration informed Dinesh that his iPhone had been found in the hundial. They also said to him that he could retrieve data from it asap, but he will not be getting his iPhone back as it will be considered as a donation. However, Dinesh has refused to accept this and insisted on having his phone returned to him.
“Anything deposited into the offering box will go to God’s account”- TN Minister
When the matter reached Karnataka minister PK Sekar Babu, he stated that any item deposited in the donation box of a temple, regardless of whether it was intentional or accidental, becomes part of the deity’s account.
“As per the practices and traditions of temples, offerings made in the donation box are considered the property of the deity. Rules do not allow us to return such offerings,” the minister said to the Reporters.
However, the Minister has said that he would discuss the matter with department officials to explore the possibility of compensating the devotee.
A 1.75 kg gold chain accidentally dropped into the hundial
Dinesh’s isn’t an isolated incident. A devotee named S. Sangeetha from Kerala’s Alappuzha district, accidentally dropped her 1.75 kg gold chain into the hundial at the famous Sri Dhandayuthapani Swamy temple in Palani. This happened in May 2023. The chain slipped into the offering box while she was removing a Tulasi garland from her neck to make an offering.
After verifying the CCTV footage and understanding Sangeetha’s financial situation, the chairman of the temple board of trustees took the initiative to purchase a new gold chain of equal value at his own expense and returned it to her.
Various reports suggest that the official clarified that, according to the Installation, Safeguarding, and Accounting of Hundial Rules, 1975, offerings made into the hundials cannot be returned to the donor, as they are considered the property of the temple.
How Netizens Reacted
Netizens had mixed reactions. Some argued that, similar to how Sangeetha was compensated, Dinesh should also receive the same new iPhone in compensation. Others believe the temple authorities should return Dinesh’s iPhone, while some even suggested Dinesh to take legal action against the temple authorities.
pic.twitter.com/qXDUDmQbCQ If the person who accidentally dropped the iPhone happened to be a politician, would the temple authorities do the same by refusing to return it?
— Anvesh (@anvesh_92_) December 21, 2024
Is it a gold or silk cloth that can be used for puja?
Dinesh must file a case with temple authorities to get…
