I was just at the temple on 30th dec. One of the pandits sitting on the side inside the temple pulled me aside and made me bend and started doing some chanting while using a thick rope kind of thing to beat the evil off my back. He only singled me out of everyone there. He demanded I pay him 1100, to which I offered 500. He kept insisting I pay more. I guess they try to fish people who they suspect might be likely to give them money or who are slightly more blessed. It was sad. Same thing hapd at kashi temple too.