Now, a priest training institute from Ram temple trust; will it rebuild trust?

Even as the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust continues to grapple with the fallout of the donation theft controversy, it has unveiled what it must hope will become one of its most enduring legacies — a permanent institute to train and certify Hindu priests for service in India and abroad.

Announced after the trust's meeting on 23 July, the proposed institute will impart formal training in Hindu rituals before certifying priests. Alongside, the trust has also constituted a nine-member committee of prominent seers to oversee the temple's religious affairs, its first major institutional initiative since the controversy over alleged theft of devotees' offerings erupted last month.

Several religious leaders have welcomed the proposal, saying it addresses a growing shortage of trained archaks in temples across India as well as in countries with large Indian diaspora communities. "There is a need for systematically trained archaks in temples, monasteries and major religious institutions across the country," Ram Ballabh Kunj functionary Mahant Rajkumar Das said. "If such a training centre is established under the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra, it will go a long way in fulfilling this requirement."

The trust has said the institute aims to create a steady pool of trained and certified priests capable of serving temples and devotees in India and overseas, reinforcing Ayodhya's emergence as a centre of religious learning alongside pilgrimage.

The announcement comes against the backdrop of a controversy that continues to cast a shadow over the temple administration.

On 13 June, the Uttar Pradesh government constituted a Special Investigation Team after allegations surfaced that donations made by devotees at the Ram temple had been siphoned off. Since then, police have arrested eight trust functionaries involved in counting offerings, while trust general-secretary Champat Rai and trustee Anil Mishra have stepped down, though neither has been named in the FIRs.

The controversy has also altered the behaviour of many devotees visiting Ayodhya, as per a recent report by the Print.

Standing outside the Ram Temple after offering prayers, Lakshmi Thakur, a 54-year-old devotee from Raipur, said she would continue visiting the shrine but no longer contribute to its donation boxes. "Ab chanda nahi denge... Isse achha kisi gareeb ko daan de dein," she told the Print. "We have faith in Lord Ram but not in the temple trust. Instead of putting money into the donation box, we would rather help a poor family or fund someone's education."

Others quoted in the report echoed similar concerns. Sandeep Saini, who had donated Rs 5,100 during an earlier visit, said he would offer only Rs 51 this time. "Hamari aastha ko thes pahunchi hai. We trust Lord Ram but not the trust officials. Until the investigation is completed, we will not make major donations."

The unease has been felt beyond the temple complex. Traders and hotel owners in Ayodhya told the Print that business has slowed in recent weeks, with fewer pilgrims making large offerings and weekday footfall appearing thinner than before. While some attributed the downturn partly to the donation controversy, others, including functionaries associated with the Vishva Hindu Parishad, argued that the slowdown was largely seasonal and typical of the monsoon months.

The trust has not released any official figures on donations or pilgrim arrivals since the controversy began. However, officials acknowledge that while visitor numbers have remained relatively stable on weekends, devotees have become more reluctant to make expensive offerings such as jewellery and other valuables.

With PTI inputs