Mangaluru: Karnataka has witnessed a significant rise in temple revenues over the past three years, with the Kukke Subrahmanya Temple in Dakshina Kannada topping the list as the state’s richest shrine under the Endowments Department.

Financial data shows that the temple’s income has steadily increased, reaching ₹155 crore in 2024–25, up from ₹146 crore in 2023–24 and ₹123 crore in 2022–23. The growth highlights the temple’s importance as a major pilgrimage centre and its expanding role in Karnataka’s religious tourism landscape.

The Kollur Mookambika Temple and Mysuru’s Chamundeshwari Temple followed Kukke Subrahmanya in overall revenue generation. Together, these temples account for a substantial share of the income earned by major shrines in the state.

According to the Endowments Department, Karnataka has over 34,000 temples, with a small number classified under high-revenue categories. Only 205 temples fall under the ‘A’ category, while 193 are categorised as ‘B’ temples, reflecting the concentration of revenue among a limited number of major shrines.

The cumulative income of the top 10 temples has shown a consistent upward trend, crossing ₹433 crore in the last financial year, compared to ₹418 crore the year before. Officials said the rise in collections reflects improved management practices and increasing pilgrim participation.

The department noted that the growing revenue base will enable greater investment in temple maintenance, heritage conservation, pilgrim amenities and community-oriented programmes, strengthening the role of temples as both spiritual and social institutions in Karnataka.