Jeypore: On Thursday, the donation box (hundi) of Maa Jagatjanani Temple was opened. After counting, a total of ₹12,42,870 was found. The process began with special rituals in the morning, after which official permission was granted to open the hundi.
The hundi was opened at 10:30 AM in the presence of temple trust officials. The counting continued until 6 PM. Around 20 committee members participated in the counting process. Along with the cash, 2 silver biscuits, 15 pairs of mixed-size artificial eyes, and some silver coins were also found.
Additionally, seven cheques worth ₹2,000 and ₹500 each were discovered. Some coins were yet to be counted, but the committee estimated their value to be around ₹3 lakhs.
During the counting, key members present included Madhab Mahankud, Rama Rao, Madhab Rath, Lakshmikanta Pattnayak, Shiva Pattnayak, priest Ballav Narayan Khadanga, Bijay Khadanga, Ravi Kar, Tapan Kumar Mishra, Biswajit Dandashena, Lakshman Jani, and others.
The previous hundi opening took place on February 4, 2023, during which ₹7,98,400 along with half a tola of gold and 3 tolas of silver were collected. The funds from the current collection will be deposited into the temple’s account to support upcoming festivals and temple development activities.