Temple sees no harm in hosting clothes sale

new delhi: it looks like any other temple, the shikhar is unmistakable from the outer ring road near the okhla crossing. move closer, and banners announcing discounts on clothes, shoes and towels come into view. this is the first floor of the sitla mata mandir situated in vinoba puri near lajpat nagar, which has been let out for a commercial exhibition.``the temple is on the ground floor and can be accessed from the colony,'' explains a salesperson. ``we used to hold exhibitions at a nearby holiday home, but as this place has the advantage of a direct opening to the ring road and greater visibility,'' he says while clarifying that this is purely a commercial venture. according to another salesperson, the hall was used for weddings and other religious functions before the temple society decided to give it out to the exhibition six months ago. the temple priest does not feel commercial activity violates the sanctity of the shrine. ``the temple is in no way connected to the first floor. while the temple opens into the colony, the first floor - since it is level with the ring road, has an entirely different approach,'' he says adding that it is a new construction originally meant for religious functions and marriages. ``the aim of leasing it out to a commercial venture is to raise funds for construction,'' explains c l madan of the temple management committee. he points to the painting and other ongoing construction activities and says it is an ambitious project to build an elaborate structure. as for the commercial venture, he says though the hall has been let out to the present exhibitor at rs 32,000 per month, the management will only be interested in leasing half the portion to the next tenant. ``we want to keep a portion for religious functions. in this case, too, we will be asking them to vacate the premises before janamashtami next month when we will be organising a community lunch,'' he says.