Archive · 12 Aug 2026
Srikalahasti, Kanipakam temples slip in devotee satisfaction rankings
Some people who visit two big temples in India are not happy with their visits.
The temples are called Srikalahasteeswara and Kanipakam.
Visitors complain that getting tickets is hard because they can only be booked online, there is no cash payment, and the computers sometimes stop working.
They also say some visitors who come with special recommendations get to the front of the line faster, while everyone else waits.
The people in charge of the temples ask visitors how happy they were and turn the answers into monthly rankings.
Srikalahasteeswara temple was ranked number one for six months, but lately it has fallen in the rankings.
Kanipakam temple has also gone down in the rankings.
The temple leaders promised that recommended visitors could only use special time slots, but visitors say this does not always happen.
The temple officials say they will discuss the problem at their next meeting.
Srikalahasteeswara temple, ranked first for six straight months, fell to second in June and sixth in July before recovering to third in early August with a 69.2% satisfaction score.
Devotees cited the fully online ticketing system — no cash payments, server glitches and difficult ticket access — as a major concern, with phones barred inside the temple.
Some visitors alleged middlemen were needed to obtain tickets and that recommendation-based visitors received easier access to darshan.
Devotees paying Rs 500 for antaralaya darshan also complained of delays caused by inadequate queue management.
Kanipakam temple's score dropped from 69.9% to 67.8%, placing it fifth, while the planned restriction of recommendation-based antaralaya darshan to two one-hour slots was reportedly not implemented consistently.
- Who
- Devotees visiting the Srikalahasteeswara and Kanipakam temples, the Endowments Department compiling feedback, and temple authorities.
- What
- The Srikalahasteeswara and Kanipakam temples slipped in monthly devotee satisfaction rankings amid complaints over online ticketing, darshan delays and alleged preferential treatment for recommended visitors.
- When
- Current rankings cover June, July and early August; feedback has been collected for the past nine months.
- Where
- Srikalahasteeswara temple in Srikalahasti and Kanipakam temple, in the Tirupati region.
- Why
- Because complaints about cashless online tickets, server glitches, queue mismanagement and preferential access for recommendation-based visitors lowered satisfaction scores.
Devotees
Temple authorities
Preferential access for recommendation-based visitors
Devotees
Devotees allege that visitors with recommendations get easier access to darshan, that the restriction to two one-hour slots is not implemented consistently, and that this causes congestion and delays for those in the regular queue.
Temple authorities
Temple authorities decided to restrict recommendation-based antaralaya darshan to two one-hour slots (10–11 am and 3–4 pm) so ordinary devotees get priority during the remaining hours.
Online-only ticketing
Devotees
Devotees say the fully online ticketing system is cumbersome because cash is not accepted, server glitches occur, tickets are hard to access, and some people resort to middlemen.
Temple authorities
The temple operates a fully online ticket system through kiosks and the Mana Mitra app because mobile phones are not allowed inside the temple.
- Srikalahasteeswara satisfaction score (early August)
- 69.2%
- Srikalahasteeswara previous-month score
- 69.4%
- Srikalahasteeswara ranking trend
- 1st for six consecutive months; 2nd in June; 6th in July; 3rd in early August
- Srikalahasteeswara daily footfall
- 25,000–30,000
- Kanipakam satisfaction score and rank
- 67.8% (5th), down from 69.9%
- Kanipakam daily footfall
- About 15,000; up to 25,000 on weekends
- Antaralaya darshan ticket price
- Rs 500
- Recommendation-based antaralaya darshan slots
- 10–11 am and 3–4 pm