70 percent of the silver offerings at Vaisnodevi impure, gold 22 percent

Similarly, out of 8,163 kg of white metal offerings received by the shrine between 2008 to 2012, only 2,381 kg of silver was retrieved which constituted 30 per cent of total white metal.

Queried over an RTI reply, he said it can't be said the metal offerings were “fake”.”How can we know that offerings by the devotee are pure gold or silver or not. The offerings could be of anything and directly go to deposit chest after it is presented at cave.”

During last five year, as many 193.5 kg of yellow metal and 8,163 kg of white metal was offered at the cave shrine of Mata Vaishnodevi, he said, adding that “we do not not call the offerings as Gold and Silver as offerings do-not carry a certification of its purity by the devotees”.  

“The chest (Dhan Patra) is opened and the offerings are sent to Mumbai and Delhi,” he said.

After that precious metal offerings are converted by Indian Government Mint, Mumbai and Minerals Trading Corporation of India Ltd, Delhi into gold and silver coins which the devotees buy as souvenirs, he said.  

The Vaishno Devi shrine is visited by over one crore devotees every year.