KOZHIKODE: In an age when digital technology has become as ubiquitous as the air we breathe, a group of youngsters from Kerala has embraced the bold step of taking religious devotion on the same path. His mobile application, Arppan, is steadily emerging as a unique digital bridge between devotees and places of worship, not just across India but around the world.
Founded by Hari Rajan, a data architect based in Bengaluru, Arppan began as a modest pilot initiative towards the end of 2024. What started with fewer than five temples has, within a year, grown into a vast network of more than 175 temples, including the iconic Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams. Through 2025, the response, says the team, has been nothing short of overwhelming.
“Devotion should not be limited by distance or time,” Hari told TNIE. “When I was working abroad, I realised how difficult it was for people living away from their native places to stay connected with their temples. That gap stayed with me.”
Arppan is designed as a comprehensive digital platform that brings together temples of various traditions and regions under one roof. Through the app, devotees can book or reserve poojas and offerings directly from their mobile phones, eliminating the need to physically visit temples in advance. For many, especially those living abroad, arranging a pooja has often been a time-consuming and uncertain process. Arppan addresses this gap by offering transparency, ease and convenience through a single interface.
Hailing from Kottayam, Hari’s journey into the spiritual-tech space is rooted in a personal turning point. “I was in the United Kingdom working for Infosys, when I decided to cancel my work permit and return to Kerala,” he said. “I started a YouTube channel called Ulsavakeralam, focusing on Kerala’s temple culture and elephants. We visited hundreds of temples and realised there was no single platform that effectively connected devotees and temples.”
The channel, which began in 2018, now has nearly 1.5 lakh subscribers across YouTube and Facebook. It was during these travels that the team began collecting data on temple rituals and offerings. “I’ve lived in four countries,” Hari recalled. “People constantly sought reliable information on rituals and auspicious days. That’s when the idea of Arppan truly took shape.”
Initially, the platform facilitated only offerings. Today, Arppan handles more than 300 offerings a day from different temples, a figure that has recently crossed 500 daily arppans. On average, the platform helps temples generate between Rs 20,000 and Rs 30,000 a day without charging any fee.
“Our model is simple,” Hari explained. “Arppan is completely free for temples. We provide ERP solutions, admin dashboards, notifications and even payment integrations at no cost. We charge a 5% service fee from devotees, of which most goes towards payment gateways and SMS notifications.”
Beyond bookings, Arppan offers rich, interactive content that allows devotees to understand the history of temples, the significance of rituals and the meaning behind specific arppans. Interactive videos, smart notifications on temple festivals and auspicious days, and integration with the Panchangam for the next 35 years help devotees navigate the often-confusing lunar calendar with ease.
A unique feature allows devotees to set recurring offerings. “Instead of paying every time, a user can choose repetition,” Hari said. “Our AI agent automatically adds the arppan to the cart before the date and notifies the devotee.”
With his spouse Revathi actively involved in the initiative, Hari sees Arppan as more than a startup. “It’s a movement.”
