Shani shignapur
Visited the famous Shani temple in Maharashtra today, and what I witnessed was extremely disappointing.
The temple wasn't even crowded. There was no rush whatsoever. Yet, devotees were treated differently based on whether they paid ₹500.
Pay ₹500, and you're allowed to go near the idol of Shani Maharaj to offer prayers and prasad personally.
Don't pay ₹500, and you're stopped at a distance, told to pour the oil into a steel container, leave the coconut in another box, and walk away.
So does God only give darshan to those who can pay ₹500? Has faith become a paid privilege? Since when did a devotee's wallet decide how close they can stand to the deity?
People often say Shani Maharaj protects this place so much that there are no gates on many houses and hotels nearby. But when devotees are separated based on money,even when there isn't any crowd
who is going to question this practice?
A temple should stand for equality, not VIP access based on payment. Every devotee deserves equal respect, regardless of how much they can afford.