MP’s Mahalakshmi temple adorned with notes worth ₹2 crore:Decorated with diamonds jewellery; devotees uphold 300-year-old tradition

The Maa Mahalakshmi Temple in Ratlam has been adorned not with flowers, but with diamonds, jewelry, and currency notes. Notes of different denominations, from ₹10 to ₹500, cover nearly every wall of the temple. Devotees have opened their treasuries for this unique decoration, which is carried out as part of an age-old Diwali tradition. The total value of the decoration this year is estimated at ₹2 crore. After the 5 days of Deepotsav, all cash and ornaments offered for the decoration will be returned to the devotees as prasad by the temple committee. Despite the large sums involved, not a single rupee has ever gone missing since the tradition began. Devotees from Ratlam, nearby districts, and even other states participate in the offering. From Dhanteras, the first day of Deepotsav, devotees can view the dazzling display. This is believed to be the only temple in the country that remains decorated with jewelry and currency notes offered by devotees for five consecutive days. How the tradition began According to temple priest Deepak Vyas, the Mahalakshmi Temple is nearly 300 years old and dates back to the princely era. When Maharaja Ratan Singh Rathore founded Ratlam city, Diwali celebrations began to be held here with grandeur. During the festival, the royal family would offer wealth at the temple for five days to pray for prosperity, good health, and public welfare. Gold and silver ornaments were brought from the royal treasury to adorn the idol of Goddess Lakshmi. Over time, this royal practice evolved into a community tradition, with devotees replacing kings in offering wealth for the temple’s decoration. Today, the temple is government-owned and comes under the Court of Wards. The administration maintains full supervision during the decoration period to ensure transparency and security. Temple and its deities Inside the sanctum of the Mahalakshmi Temple, idols of Goddess Lakshmi, Lord Ganesh, and Goddess Saraswati are enshrined together. The idol of Mahalakshmi holds a money bag, symbolizing prosperity. The temple is also unique in housing eight forms of the goddess — Adi Lakshmi, Dhanya Lakshmi, Lakshmi Narayan, Dhana Lakshmi, Vijaya Lakshmi, Veer Lakshmi, Santana Lakshmi, and Aishwarya Lakshmi. Priest Deepak Vyas explains that Diwali is celebrated as the festival of wealth and prosperity, when Goddess Lakshmi, the consort of Lord Vishnu, blesses her devotees. He says that those who contribute to the temple’s decoration experience the divine form of the goddess as described in ancient scriptures — a form that showers wealth and abundance. According to belief, the devotees whose wealth is used in Mahalakshmi’s adornment remain blessed with happiness and prosperity throughout the year. Decoration process begins a week before Diwali Preparations for the decoration begin about a week before Diwali. The temple committee starts receiving money and jewelry from Sharad Purnima onwards. Notes of denominations ₹1, ₹20, ₹50, ₹100, and ₹500 are used to make garlands and wall decorations inside the temple. This year, devotees from Ratlam, Jhabua, Mandsaur, Neemuch, as well as neighboring states like Gujarat and Rajasthan, contributed money according to their devotion. Some devotees have donated as much as ₹5 lakh in one offering. Garlands made of these notes are used to adorn the temple walls, pillars, and sanctum. The idol of Mahalakshmi is richly decorated, and the entire sanctum is designed to resemble the mythical treasury of Lord Kubera. Nearly 1,000 devotees have contributed to this year’s decoration. Strict system to ensure transparency The temple management has a detailed system to ensure that no money or jewelry is mishandled. Every donation, whether in cash or jewellery, is properly recorded. This year, the process has been fully digitalised. Note-counting machines have been installed, and each donation is logged online with the devotee’s name, address, photo, mobile number, and contribution details. The temple committee provides an online token stamped with the Mahalakshmi Temple seal. The same information is also entered in a physical register. After the five-day Deepotsav ends, devotees can collect their offerings back as prasad by presenting their tokens. The system ensures full accountability and builds trust among the participants. Security arrangements and armed guards As the temple begins receiving cash and jewelry, security arrangements are heightened. Armed guards are stationed in and around the temple premises. CCTV cameras have been installed to monitor every corner and protect what is popularly called ‘Kuber’s treasury’. The Manak Chowk police station, located right behind the temple, maintains a 24-hour police presence throughout the five-day celebration to prevent any potential disturbance or theft. Devotees share their faith and experience Many devotees consider it a blessing to contribute to Mahalakshmi’s decoration. Sandeep Bhayal, Shankarlal Bhayal, Jayesh Rathore, and Harsh Dave from Petlawad, Jhabua, came together with bundles of notes for the offering. Sandeep Bhayal said he has been visiting the temple every Diwali for the past four years after hearing about it from an acquaintance. He said, I feel peace and happiness here. Ever since I began offering money to the goddess, I have continued this tradition with friends each year. Jayesh Rathore contributed bundles of ₹50 and ₹20 notes this year. ‘This money brings blessings from the goddess. I never spend the notes used in the temple’s decoration. I keep them safely at home as prasad,’ he said. Manisha Tendwani, a retired banker from Ratlam, has been visiting the temple for 36 years. ‘Even when my salary was small, I used to bring offerings. Since then, my life has been filled with prosperity. Every year, I continue to place money at the feet of Mahalakshmi,’ she said. Another temple also decorated Along with the Mahalakshmi Temple, another temple in Ratlam — the 300-year-old Sri Lakshmi Narayan Temple located behind the Kalika Mata Temple — has also been decorated with currency notes and ornaments this year.