Trimbakeshwar Trust’s Rs 2,500 'priority darshan' scheme sparks row, devotees dub it pro-rich

Nashik: The Trimbakeshwar Devasthan Trust has rolled out a new ‘priority darshan’ scheme at Rs 2,500 per person, triggering resentment among devotees, who said introducing financial tiers for darshan at a sacred shrine effectively favoured those who could afford to pay, undermining the principle of equal access.

The Trust’s decision comes a day after the Trimbakeshwar police arrested four people, including temple a trustee, for allegedly running a racket that charged devotees hefty sums for expedited darshan. Following the arrests, the number of VIP darshans reportedly dropped from over 500 a day to nearly zero.

Defending the scheme, a trustee said the move aimed to curb illegal practices and channel funds into temple development. “Devotees often wait for hours. A racket had emerged where agents targeted those willing to pay Rs 2,000-12,000 for quicker access. That money went into private hands. With this system, the funds can instead be used to improve facilities for pilgrims,” the trustee said.

Sidhanshu Sarna, a pilgrim from Vijaywada in Andhra Pradesh, questioned the ‘priority darshan’ scheme, saying it appeared aimed only at collecting funds. “What facilities does the temple or its vicinity have? No seating, water or cafeteria, nothing from the Trust. The Trust should first earn the faith and trust of pilgrims before launching such a system,” Sarna said.

The newly introduced ‘priority darshan’ scheme is in addition to the existing Rs 200 donation pass, which also provides relatively quicker darshan compared to the free queue. Another trustee said, “Pilgrims in the general queue spend four to six hours for darshan. Even those with the Rs 200 donation pass may wait over three hours. These delays created loopholes that were being exploited illegally.”

The temple sees an average footfall of around 40,000 devotees daily, which can surge to over seven lakh during peak periods. Due to structural limitations, however, only about 17,000 visitors can enter the sanctum area each day. Rajesh Pandit from Beed said, “Since not everyone can enter the temple premises, the temple trust should introduce a slot-booking system like Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams. That would ensure better crowd management and fairer access for all.”