Mata Vaishno Devi Temple: A significant increase in donations from pilgrims has been observed at the Mata Vaishno Devi Temple over the past five years. According to the Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board, donations reached ₹171.90 crore in the financial year 2024-25 (up to January), compared to ₹63.85 crore (approximately £6.1 million) in 2020-21. During this period, gold offerings increased from 9 kg to over 27 kg, and silver offerings rose from 753 kg to 3424 kg.
Shrine Board Provides Information in Response to RTI
Responding to a petition filed by an RTI activist in Jammu, the Shrine Board revealed that donations received in the financial year 2020-21 totalled ₹63.85 crore. This increased to ₹166.68 crore in 2021-22, ₹223.12 crore in 2022-23, ₹231.50 crore in 2023-24, and ₹171.90 crore in 2024-25 (up to January this year).
27.717 KG of Gold Received in 2024-25
According to the Shrine Board, 9.075 kg of gold was received in 2020-21, 26.351 kg in 2021-22, 33.258 kg in 2022-23, 23.477 kg in 2023-24, and 27.717 kg in 2024-25 (up to January this year).
Impure Metals Received
Similarly, 753.630 kg of silver was received in 2020-21, 2400.705 kg in 2021-22, 3756.582 kg in 2022-23, 4072.486 kg in 2023-24, and 3424.538 kg in the financial year 2024-25 (up to January this year). The board stated that the metals were received in an impure state and their current value has not yet been ascertained.
Temple Closed for Five Months During the Corona Period
It is noteworthy that during the COVID-19 pandemic, only 1.72 million pilgrims visited the temple. For the first time in history, the temple remained closed for five months due to the pandemic. It reopened on 16 August 2020. According to official figures, 5.588 million pilgrims visited in 2021, 9.125 million in 2022, 9.522 million in 2023, and 9.484 million in 2024.
Shrine Board Established in 1986
The Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board was established in 1986 under the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Act, 1986, by the Jammu and Kashmir government. The board’s objective is to manage, maintain, and develop the Mata Vaishno Devi Temple (Mata Vaishno Devi Temple) and its surrounding areas to provide better facilities for devotees.
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