Currency ban: Tirupati sets up credit card machines

HYDERABAD: Some temples kept the faith, while others re fused to accept demonetized notes from devotees on Wednesday. Temples in Vrindavan requested devotees not to put banned notes in donation boxes, while the famous Tirupati temple accepted all notes, set up debit and credit card machines and provided free food to pilgrims stranded without money.

The Shri Krishna Janm Bhumi Trust in Vrindavan is planning to put up banners asking devotees not to make donations in Rs500 or Rs1,000 notes. “We have ordered banners, which will be put at prominent points, urging devotees not to put banned notes in donation boxes,“ said Kapil Sharma, the trust's secretary.

At the Banke Bihari temple, assistant manager Umesh Saraswat, said they hadn't stopped anyone from putting demonetised notes in the donation boxes, but were not accepting Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes for donations in their offices.


Kamta Prasad, who had travelled to Vrindavan from Amroha, said the sudden move had inconvenienced him. “I don't have notes of smaller denomination. All this tension has spoiled my visit,“ he said. At the temple towns of Ti rupati and Tirumala, some pilgrims staged a protest on Wednesday morning, prompting the authorities of the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) to accept the old notes for tickets and prasadam. The board set up a number of `point of sale' machines to enable pilgrims to pay through debit or credit cards.

Several devotees were stranded in Tirumala as they had no money to return home, and restaurants and shops refused to accept demonetised notes. TTD prepared extra food and supplied it free to devotees. “We are accepting Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes for tickets and prasadam. This will continue till the deadline fixed by the Centre,“ said TTD chairman Chadalavada Krishnamurthy.