Privacy Policy

1. Introduction

The Shri Mahalakshmi Temple Trust, Mumbai ("Temple," "we," "us," or "our") is committed to protecting the privacy and personal information of all visitors, devotees, and donors who use our website (mahalakshmi-temple.com). We understand that trust is the foundation of our relationship with you, and we take our responsibility to safeguard your data seriously.

This Privacy Policy explains what information we collect, how we use it, how we protect it, and what rights you have regarding your personal data. By accessing or using this website, you agree to the practices described in this Privacy Policy. If you do not agree with any part of this policy, please discontinue use of the website.

This Privacy Policy should be read together with our Terms & Conditions, which govern your overall use of this website.

2. Information We Collect

We collect different types of information depending on how you interact with our website. The information we collect falls into the following categories:

2.1 Personal Information

When you make a donation, book a pooja service, submit a contact form, or subscribe to our newsletter, we may collect the following personal information:

• Name — your full name as provided during transactions or inquiries
• Email address — for sending donation receipts, booking confirmations, and temple updates
• Phone number — for contacting you regarding your bookings or inquiries
• PAN (Permanent Account Number) — required for donations exceeding applicable thresholds, as mandated by Indian tax laws, and for issuing 80G tax exemption certificates
• Postal address — if provided for prasad delivery or correspondence purposes

2.2 Payment Information

All online payments and donations are processed securely through Razorpay, our third-party payment gateway. When you make a payment, your card details, bank account information, or UPI credentials are collected and processed directly by Razorpay. We do not store, access, or retain your credit card numbers, debit card numbers, or bank account details on our servers.

We only receive confirmation of the transaction status (success or failure), the transaction ID, the amount paid, and the payment method used (e.g., credit card, UPI, net banking) for our records and receipt generation.

2.3 Usage Data

When you visit our website, certain information is collected automatically through standard web technologies. This may include:

• IP address — your device's Internet Protocol address
• Browser type and version — the web browser you use to access our website
• Device information — the type of device, operating system, and screen resolution
• Pages visited — which pages you view, how long you spend on them, and the order of navigation
• Referral source — the website or search engine that directed you to our website
• Date and time of visit — timestamps of your browsing sessions

2.4 Cookies

Our website uses cookies and similar tracking technologies to enhance your browsing experience and gather analytical data. The types of cookies we use include:

• Essential cookies — necessary for the basic functioning of the website, such as session management and security. These cannot be disabled.
• Analytics cookies — used to understand how visitors interact with our website, which pages are most popular, and how users navigate through the site. This helps us improve the website experience for all visitors.

You can control cookie preferences through your browser settings. Please note that disabling essential cookies may affect the functionality of the website.

3. How We Use Your Information

The personal information we collect is used for the following purposes:

3.1 Process Donations and Issue Receipts

We use your name, email, phone number, and PAN to process your donations, generate electronic receipts, and issue 80G tax exemption certificates where applicable. Transaction records are maintained as required by Indian financial and tax regulations.

3.2 Respond to Inquiries

When you submit a message through our contact form or reach out to us via email or phone, we use your contact information to respond to your questions, feedback, or requests in a timely manner.

3.3 Send Temple Updates

With your explicit consent, we may send you updates about temple events, festival schedules, darshan timings, special poojas, and other relevant information via email or SMS. You can opt out of these communications at any time by clicking the "unsubscribe" link in any email or by contacting us directly.

3.4 Improve Website Experience

We use usage data and analytics information to understand how visitors interact with our website, identify areas for improvement, optimize page performance, and ensure the website is accessible and user-friendly for all devotees.

4. Third-Party Services

We use the following third-party services in the operation of our website. Each of these services may collect and process your data according to their own privacy policies:

4.1 Razorpay (Payment Processing)

All online donations and payments are processed through Razorpay Software Private Limited. Razorpay handles the secure collection and processing of your payment information. We encourage you to review Razorpay's privacy policy to understand how they handle your data: https://razorpay.com/privacy/

4.2 Google Maps (Directions and Location)

We embed Google Maps on our website to help visitors locate the temple and plan their visit. When you use the embedded map, Google may collect data such as your IP address and location information in accordance with Google's privacy policy. For more information, visit: https://policies.google.com/privacy

4.3 Google Analytics (Website Analytics)

We use Google Analytics to collect and analyze website usage data, including page views, session duration, traffic sources, and user demographics. Google Analytics uses cookies to gather this information. The data collected is aggregated and anonymized where possible. You can opt out of Google Analytics tracking by installing the Google Analytics Opt-out Browser Add-on. For more details, review Google's privacy policy linked above.

5. Data Security

We take the security of your personal information seriously and implement appropriate technical and organizational measures to protect it from unauthorized access, alteration, disclosure, or destruction. Our security measures include:

• SSL/TLS Encryption — all data transmitted between your browser and our website is encrypted using Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) / Transport Layer Security (TLS) technology, ensuring that your information is protected during transit
• Secure Servers — our website is hosted on secure servers with industry-standard firewalls, intrusion detection systems, and access controls
• Access Restrictions — access to personal data is restricted to authorized personnel only, on a need-to-know basis
• Regular Security Audits — we periodically review and update our security practices to address emerging threats and vulnerabilities

While we strive to use commercially acceptable means to protect your personal information, no method of transmission over the Internet or method of electronic storage is 100% secure. We cannot guarantee absolute security, but we are committed to promptly addressing any security incidents should they occur.

6. Data Retention

We retain your personal information only for as long as necessary to fulfill the purposes for which it was collected, or as required by applicable laws and regulations. Our data retention practices are as follows:

• Donation Records — records of donations, including donor name, amount, PAN, and transaction details, are retained as required by Indian tax laws, the Income Tax Act 1961, and applicable financial regulations. These records may be kept for a minimum of 8 years or as long as legally required.
• Contact Form Submissions — information submitted through the contact form (name, email, phone number, and message) is retained for a period of 1 year from the date of submission, after which it is securely deleted unless further retention is necessary to resolve an ongoing inquiry.
• Newsletter Subscriptions — your email address is retained for as long as you remain subscribed to our communications. Upon unsubscribing, your email address will be removed from our mailing list within 30 days.
• Analytics Data — website usage data collected through Google Analytics is retained in accordance with Google's data retention settings, typically for 26 months.

7. Your Rights under the Digital Personal Data Protection (DPDP) Act, 2023

In accordance with the Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023, enacted by the Parliament of India, you have the following rights with respect to your personal data:

7.1 Right to Access

You have the right to request a summary of the personal data we hold about you, including the processing activities being carried out with your data. Upon receiving a verified request, we will provide the requested information within a reasonable timeframe.

7.2 Right to Correction

You have the right to request the correction of any inaccurate or incomplete personal data we hold about you. If your name, email, phone number, or any other personal detail has changed or was entered incorrectly, you may request an update by contacting us.

7.3 Right to Erasure

You have the right to request the deletion of your personal data from our systems, subject to applicable legal obligations. Please note that we may be required to retain certain data (such as donation records) to comply with tax laws and regulatory requirements, even after an erasure request. In such cases, we will inform you of the specific data that must be retained and the legal basis for its retention.

7.4 Right to Withdraw Consent

Where we process your personal data based on your consent (such as for sending newsletters or temple updates), you have the right to withdraw that consent at any time. Withdrawal of consent will not affect the lawfulness of processing carried out before the withdrawal. To withdraw consent, you may use the unsubscribe link in our emails, update your preferences, or contact us directly.

To exercise any of these rights, please contact our Data Protection Officer using the contact details provided in Section 11 below. We will respond to your request within 30 days of receiving it. We may ask you to verify your identity before processing your request to ensure the security of your data.

8. Children's Privacy

This website is not directed at children under the age of 18. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 18 years of age. If you are a parent or guardian and believe that your child has provided us with personal information without your consent, please contact us immediately. Upon verification, we will take prompt steps to delete such information from our systems.

If a minor wishes to make a donation or use any services on this website, it must be done under the supervision of and with consent from a parent or legal guardian.

9. Changes to This Privacy Policy

The Shri Mahalakshmi Temple Trust reserves the right to update or modify this Privacy Policy at any time. Any changes will be effective immediately upon posting the revised Privacy Policy on this page. The "Effective Date" at the top of this policy will be updated to reflect the date of the most recent revision.

We encourage you to review this Privacy Policy periodically to stay informed about how we are protecting your information. For material changes that significantly affect how we process your personal data, we will make reasonable efforts to notify you through a prominent notice on the website or via email.

Your continued use of this website after any changes to this Privacy Policy constitutes your acceptance of the revised policy.

10. Grievance Redressal

If you have any concerns or complaints regarding the processing of your personal data, you may raise a grievance with our Data Protection Officer. We are committed to resolving all grievances in a fair and timely manner. Upon receiving your grievance, we will acknowledge it within 48 hours and aim to provide a resolution within 30 days.

If you are not satisfied with our response, you have the right to lodge a complaint with the Data Protection Board of India as established under the Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023.

11. Contact — Data Protection Officer

If you have any questions, concerns, or requests regarding this Privacy Policy or the handling of your personal data, please contact our Data Protection Officer:

• Data Protection Officer
• Shri Mahalakshmi Temple Trust
• Bhulabhai Desai Road, Breach Candy
• Mumbai - 400026, Maharashtra, India
• Phone: 022-2351 3831 / 022-2351 4732

You may also reach us through the Contact Us page on this website. We will make every effort to address your concerns promptly and transparently.