Erumeli : Income from the temples have declined high time. Comparing to last year in the first five days the Erumeli temple witnessed a drop of three and a quarter lakh in income. The ban at Erumeli and the restrictions by the police to the devotees, stand of Government and Devaswom board on women entry are evaluated to be the reason for the decline in income.
At the time of Mandala-Makaravilakk season Erumeli temple used to be a flooded with pilgrims. However the drastic decline in the number of pilgrims have adversely affected the temple income. In the first five days of pilgrimage season the temple received only income of one lakh seventy five thousand.
Last year the income was about five lakhs. The income declined by more than three lakh twenty five thousand in the initials days of pilgrimage. The believers points out that the unwanted restrictions imposed on the devotees by the police is the reason for the negative graph of the temple income.
The stand of State Government and the Devaswom board in Sabarimala women entry decree had even affected the income from the Prasada sales. A Prasada counter was opened at Erumeli however it wasn’t fruitful as well.