Jawalamukhi Temple as a Lender

Abstract

The temples in Indian are closely entwined with Indian culture. They cover a plethora of interest covering architecture, art, religious faith and rituals culminating into economic stability. The temples in India played a role of money lender. In regard to Jawalamukhi temple, there is plenty of evidence regarding the money lending activities of the temple. Letters gives a clear picture of the loans of various kinds. On the one hand it was a place of worship and catered the spiritual needs of the people but also plays an important part in their day to day life and on the other hand it extended financial help. The temple of Jawalamukhi has come to acquire a self governing economic potential and significance. The temple has been discharging the function of the money lender. The continuous handling of funds and the receipts of gifts in cash, goods and services, bring capital to the temple which they, unwaveringly, invests in productive ways. It helped people in times of need; such as, to the distressed father anxious to perform the marriage of their daughters, for better medical treatment. Present paper is an effort to bring untouched feature of Himachal Pradesh temple after post independence era.