A Tamil Nadu temple refused to return a devotee’s iPhone after he accidentally dropped it into the donation box. The authorities claimed that anything placed in the “hundi” becomes the property of the deity.
About The Incident
Dinesh, a resident of Vinayagapuram, visited the Arulmigu Kandaswamy Temple in Thiruporur last month. While offering money, he accidentally dropped his iPhone into the hundi. He immediately asked temple officials to retrieve it. However, they explained that offerings in the hundi are considered gifts to the deity and cannot be returned.
Efforts to Recover the Phone
Frustrated, Dinesh contacted the Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments (HR and CE) Department. He requested to be informed when the hundi would be opened. On Friday, he rushed to the temple after learning that the hundi was finally opened.
Despite his efforts, the authorities stood firm. They stated that the phone was now the deity’s property. However, they allowed Dinesh to remove the SIM card to retrieve important data.
Temple’s Explanation
The temple’s executive officer justified their decision. “We are not clear whether he [Dinesh] dropped it [iPhone] as an offering and later changed his mind because the hundi is well protected by an iron fence,” he said.
The Outcome
Dinesh, who had already replaced his SIM card, decided not to argue further. He left the phone with the temple authorities and walked away.
This incident reflects the temple’s strict adherence to tradition. Even accidental contributions to the hundi are treated as offerings, leaving devotees with limited options.