Opium growers and traders share profit with deity in Rajasthan

At a time when news regarding recession, funds crisis and job drops are making the rounds, gold and silver jewellery, gold biscuits and Rupees seem to be raining at the Sanwaliya Seth temple close to Chittorgarh.

Sanwaliya Ji, many traders trust, is their business partner. Before sending their consignments, the businessmen like to bow their heads at the temple. Once they make a profit, they offer a part of it to the temple. The deity, who they believe is a business partner, has a claim to the profit, you see.

"Each month on Krishna Paksha Chaturdashi, a day before Amawasya, the donation box is opened. Around 200 memberssit and count the collections. This time, 1 kg gold biscuits, gold and silver jewellery and more than Rs 5.48 crore were found in the box.

For the first time, 125 notes of 100 dollars worth Rs nine lakhs or so were also found," said temple trust officials, deposited possibly by a single devotee. Businessmen trust the deity, says Kailash Dhadeech, administration officer of the temple trust.Shri Sanwaliyaji Mandir Mandal President, Kanhaiyadas Vaishnav said: "Dollars were found earlier too, but they were limited in number earlier.”

Counting was still continuing in the presence of senior officials, he volunteered and added that cash and money orders worth Rs 72.71 lakh too had been received. Another insight he offers is that the temple is popular among opium growers and traders of Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh.

According to legend Meera bai used to worship the Murlidhar at this temple. The famous Sanwaliya Seth temple attracts millions of devotees every year.

The temple is administered by the Devasthan Department of the Government of Rajasthan.

Dhadeech adds, "The pandemic has failed to stem the tide. The number of notes and the quality of notes, both seem to have become better during the pandemic which shows that their faith has become stronger during the tough days."