Devotee Accidentally Drops iPhone in Temple Hundi; Officials Declare It as Temple Property

A devotee accidentally placed his iPhone in the temple hundi at the Sri Kandaswamy Temple in Thiruporur, Chengalpattu district, Tamil Nadu. Upon realizing the mistake, the devotee, identified as Dinesh, requested temple authorities to return the phone. However, officials refused, stating that any offerings placed in the hundi legally become the property of the temple.

The Tamil Nadu Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments Department clarified the matter, citing the 1975 Safeguarding and Accounting of Hundi Rules. According to these rules, items placed in the hundi are considered irrevocable offerings to the deity and cannot be returned.

Despite the refusal to return the phone, officials offered Dinesh the opportunity to retrieve the data stored on the device. The incident garnered further attention when Tamil Nadu Endowments Minister P.K. Sekar Babu commented on the matter, reiterating that all hundi contributions are considered temple assets. However, he mentioned that he would explore the possibility of providing compensation to the devotee for the loss.