Golden Temple sees 20% surge in online donations amid lockdown
AMRITSAR : Amid Covid-19 lockdown, the Golden Temple has witnessed a 20% spike in donations made by devotees through online modes.
“During normal days earlier, the online offering was around 10 lakh in a month. During the last month, the collection through online modes increased by around 20%,” said Mukhtiar Singh, chief manager of Golden Temple, while speaking to HT.
However, the total collection of the offerings at the shrine, which has been wearing a deserted look due to the curfew imposed in Punjab since March 19, has witnessed a record dip. The average collection of offerings has fallen Rs 23 lakh a day in 2019-20 to between Rs 10,000 and Rs 15,000 a day, as per Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) officials.
Asked about the average amount of money being offered online, an SGPC official privy to the financial matters of the shrine said, “Actually, the banks have not given us full details yet, citing lockdown”.
Ever since the lockdown has hit the exchequer of all gurdwaras, the SGPC is promoting online modes of offerings at its website and encouraging the devotees across the world to contribute especially for the Golden Temple langar, which is considered largest community kitchen in the world, through online modes.
SGPC president Gobind Singh Longowal has also made an appeal to the devotees to make contributions digitally.
When one visits SGPC’s official website, an icon appears regarding online modes of payment. This icon appeals to the devotees to contribute for Golden Tempe langar, which is feeding the needy people in Amritsar. These people include the migrant workers stranded in the city and the poor people.
The surge in the online offering is a sigh of relief for the gurdwara body, which also runs scores of educational, medical and sports institutions apart from managing historic gurdwaras in northern region of the country.
“The SGPC is extending help to the needy persons in this hour of crisis, so the devotees should come forward to contribute to these services,” said Longowal.