'In front of Mahadev, everyone is equal': Woman's question on VIP darshan sparks debate online
A social media post questioning the concept of VIP darshan at temples has triggered a broader discussion online about equality, convenience and the role of
A social media post questioning the concept of VIP darshan at temples has triggered a broader discussion online about equality, convenience and the role of paid access in religious spaces. The debate began after an X user, Rutu, shared an experience from a visit to the Trimbakeshwar temple in Maharashtra. According to her post, a Telugu friend accompanying her suggested purchasing a ₹200 VIP Darshan pass to avoid the long queue. While the pass significantly reduced waiting time, the experience left her reflecting on whether devotees should be offered different levels of access to the same place of worship. A Question About Equality In Places Of Worship In her post, Rutu argued that all devotees visit temples seeking blessings from the same deity and therefore should be treated equally. She pointed out that while some worshippers spend hours waiting in regular queues, others can shorten their wait by purchasing special passes.
Although she acknowledged that temples require funds for maintenance and day-to-day operations, she questioned whether faith was gradually becoming commercialised. Also Read | Amazon's Amit Nanda replaces Hari Menon as BigBasket CEO “In front of Mahadev, everyone is equal. Faith should not have a VIP lane,” she wrote. The post quickly gained traction, prompting users to share contrasting views on whether paid darshan facilities are justified. Internet Divided Over VIP Darshan System While some users agreed with Rutu's concerns, others argued that special darshan passes serve practical purposes and offer devotees an optional convenience. One user wrote, “Another way to see all this process is also exists that is we are so much eager to see our lords that we can’t wait and also we are ready to give dhan for it without having any moh maya for money.” Another user pointed out that devotees are not required to purchase the pass.
“You could have very well chosen not to pay VIP ticket and stand in that long queue. This option is available for a mutual benefit,” the user wrote. Temple Management And Funding Discussed Several users viewed the issue through the lens of temple administration and revenue generation. “Hindu Temples are being run by Government where there are several corrupt and egoistic people who want to head the management. They have sold Temple access to Celebrities and Banks, the LOW tier VIP is sold to citizens,” one user commented. Another argued that the additional fee should be seen as a contribution towards temple upkeep. “Your donation is for the Time you saved in avoiding General que. Hope you can afford that Donation for the Maintenance and betterment of the Temple,” the user wrote. Crowd Management Or Commercialisation? Others maintained that the practice is not necessarily about profit but rather an attempt to manage large crowds at popular religious sites.
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