Puri, April 8: Jagannath temple in Puri today received only Rs 284 donation in its hundi, the lowest ever in living memory. The temple hundi was incorporated in the year 1983.

Officials in the temple administration said that the temple used to receive between Rs 3 lakh and Rs 4 lakh on a given day before the shrine became off limits to devotees from March 20 in wake of Covid-19 outbreak.

“Though the temple has been remained off limits to devotees since March 20, servitors have been making donations in the hundi. Besides locals also give donations to the servitors who deposit it in the hundi,” said an official.  

Around 5000 servitors are associated with the temple on busy days while the number has drastically reduced to 150 ever since devotees have been barred from visiting the temple.