The Supreme Court’s criticism of paid special pujas raises an important constitutional concern. Our values promise equality, yet in many temples, wealth decides access to worship. This practice goes against the spirit of fairness that religion itself teaches. When affluent devotees are allowed special rituals while others wait, temples unknowingly mirror social inequality. Traditions and rituals should be preserved, but not at the cost of justice and dignity for common devotees. Faith should comfort people, not remind them of their financial limits. The court’s intervention is a timely reminder that religious spaces must remain inclusive, respectful, and equal for all.
