Bengaluru temples see dip in revenue as devotees travel to other shrines

While the Karnataka government’s Shakti scheme—offering free bus travel—has boosted the earnings of Muzrai temples across the state, it has ironically led to a decline in revenue for many prominent temples in Bengaluru.

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Records from the Muzrai Department reveal that 16 of the 21 major ‘A’ and ‘B’ category temples in the city reported a notable drop in annual income for 2024. In contrast, state-wide figures reflect a surge in revenue, with 205 ‘A’ category temples generating a total of ₹743 crore in 2024, up from ₹675 crore in 2023. Likewise, ‘B’ category temples recorded ₹34.8 crore, compared to ₹33.3 crore the previous year.

However, Bengaluru’s key temples tell a different story. The Sri Prasanna Venkateshwara Swamy temple in Fort saw income fall from ₹54.1 lakh to ₹36.7 lakh. Revenue also declined at the Gavi Gangadhareshwara temple (₹92 lakh to ₹84.9 lakh), Anjaneya Swami temple in Banaswadi (₹89 lakh to ₹69.7 lakh), Lakshmi Narasimha Swamy temple in Malleswaram (₹59 lakh to ₹48.3 lakh), and Vasantha Vallabharaya Swamy temple in Vasanthapura (₹67.9 lakh to ₹65.6 lakh).

This reversal comes despite a healthy rise in their earnings in 2023. Officials attribute the trend to increased travel opportunities for devotees, many of whom are now visiting major temples outside Bengaluru during weekends and holidays.