Pilgrims at the hill shrine of Sabarimala in Kerala will now able to swipe debit/credit cards to make their offerings as Dhanlaxmi Bank has installed a card swiping machine at the shrine.

This is expected to help the temple administration to deal with the massive task of managing the huge offerings made during the annual peak season, which has just got going.

According to Ajay Tharayil, an administration official, the swipe machine was installed in response to the demand from pilgrims from neighbouring states who recounted practical difficulties in the wake of demonetisation of high-value notes.

The e-counter has been set up to the left side of the sanctum sanctorum, Tharayil said. There's no limit to the amount that can be offered by swiping the debit card. The minimum that can be offered is Rs 10.

As for a credit card, up to a low of Re 1 can be transacted. All types of debit/credit cards from all banks are welcome, Tharayil said.

After swiping, the pilgrim will get two receipts, one of which will need to be deposited at the Hundi. The e-counter will be open only for as long as the temple is open for rituals during a day.

Tharayil said that the swipe machine would help do away with the onerous and elaborate task of counting the notes and coins which flood the temple during the peak November to January pilgrim season.

It would also help reach the exact count in terms of the offering made. The temple administration is open to setting up more e-counters depending on the need and requirement, he added.

Meanwhile, the administration informed that the first eight days of the peak season this year have already seen rise in offerings collected by more than Rs 3 crore compared to the corresponding period last year.

Related Topics
comment COMMENT NOW