Privacy policy

Last updated 26 October 2026

Devalayam is a reading site. You do not need an account, we do not run advertising, and we do not use analytics or tracking cookies. This page explains the little information that does pass through the site, and the outside services that help it work.

Messages you send us

The contact forms and the “Suggest an edit” form on each temple page send what you type to Web3Forms, a form service that delivers it to us by email. Your name and email address are optional; give an email only if you would like a reply. Edit suggestions also carry the name and link of the temple page. We use these messages only to answer you and to improve the records. We do not add you to any mailing list, and we never sell or share your details. Web3Forms handles the message under its own privacy policy. If you would like a message you sent to be deleted, write to us through the contact form.

Donations

The Support Devalayam page shows a UPI ID and QR code. When you give, the payment happens entirely in your own UPI app and bank; nothing about it passes through this website. Like any UPI payment, we receive the name and UPI ID that your bank shows to the payee, along with the amount. We use these only to keep our accounts and, if you ask, to thank you.

Your location

“Temples near me” asks your browser for your location only when you tap it, and your browser asks your permission first. The position is used on your own device to sort the list and is never sent to us or stored.

Things saved on your device

If you choose a reading language, the site remembers it in your browser's local storage so the next page opens in the same language. It stays on your device, and clearing your browser's site data removes it.

Outside services on our pages

Some parts of a page load from other services. When they do, your browser connects to them directly, so they can see your IP address and browser details, as any website can. Each follows its own privacy policy.

• Videos are embedded from YouTube in its privacy-enhanced mode (youtube-nocookie.com), which does not set YouTube cookies until you press play. See Google's privacy policy.
• Maps on temple pages are embedded from OpenStreetMap. The “Open in Google Maps” and “Directions” links take you to Google Maps only when you tap them.
• Fonts are loaded from Google Fonts, which may log the request. See Google Fonts and privacy.
• Photos are mostly from Wikimedia Commons, but we keep resized copies on this site, so viewing them does not contact Wikimedia. The links to Wikipedia and other sources open those sites only when you follow them.

Hosting and search engines

The site is hosted on Vercel, whose servers keep short-lived technical logs (such as IP address, page requested and time) to deliver the site and protect it from abuse. We do not use these logs to identify visitors. The pages carry verification tags for Google Search Console and Bing Webmaster Tools; these only prove to the search engines that we own the site and do not track you.

Children

Devalayam is meant for everyone, and children are welcome to read it. We ask that children do not send us personal details through the forms.

Changes and questions

If the site starts to use something new that touches your information, we will update this page and its date. For any question about privacy, please write to us.