Free Prasad Distribution App Launched for Major Temples

The Ministry of Culture, in collaboration with India Post and the National Informatics Centre, has launched 'e-Prasad' — a mobile application that allows devotees across India to receive sacred prasad from 50 major temples delivered to their doorstep free of charge. The app was inaugurated by the Union Culture Minister on March 12, 2026. The initial list of 50 participating temples includes Tirupati, Vaishno Devi, Kashi Vishwanath, Somnath, Jagannath Puri, Siddhivinayak Mumbai, Meenakshi Madurai, and Kamakhya Guwahati among others. Each temple prepares a standardized prasad packet that is blessed during daily rituals, sealed in tamper-proof packaging, and dispatched through India Post's Speed Post network. Devotees can request prasad from up to three temples per month through the app, which is available in 12 Indian languages. The service is entirely free, with costs covered by a combination of temple trust funds and government subsidy. Each prasad packet includes the blessed offering, a small laminated card with the temple's history, and a QR code linking to the temple's digital darshan portal. The app has already crossed 2 million downloads within its first week of launch. Early reviews praise the user-friendly interface and the emotional value of receiving temple prasad at home, especially for elderly and differently-abled devotees who cannot undertake physical pilgrimages.