If the idol of Shri Vitthal is damaged, we will file a criminal case against the Temple Committee and the Archaeology Department!

The case of chemical coating of Shri Vitthal idol at Pandharpur
Mandir Mahasangh and Varkaris warn!

From left, Shri. Vinod Rasal, Shri. Chandrakant Ramanshetty, H.B.P. Ramakrishna Hanumant Maharaj Veer (speaking), Shri. Sunil Ghanwat, Shri. Prasad Pandit and Shri. Rajan Bunage

Pandharpur – The Varkari sect and the Maharashtra Mandir Mahasangh have strongly opposed the chemical (epoxy/silicone) coating process scheduled by the Archaeology Department on June 23rd and 24th on Pandharpur’s ‘Swayambhu’ Shri Vitthal-Rukmini idol, revered by crores of Hindus.

The administration had claimed that the coating done during the COVID-19 pandemic would last for 10 years; however, the fact that the idol needs to be coated again within just 4-5 years proves the failure of this chemical process. How did the foot of the Pandurang idol, which had been standing safely on a brick for 28 yugas, get damaged during the COVID-19 lockdown ? And why did Shri Rukmini Mata idol’s feet get damaged? The Temple Committee or the Archaeology Department have not yet given any scientific answer to these questions. There is a serious risk that the natural respiration of the stone may be blocked due to artificial chemicals, and the idol would get brittle from within.

🚨 Serious Concern Over Proposed Chemical Coating on Shri Vitthal-Rukmini Murthys 🚨

🙏 The Warkari community and @mandirmahasangh have strongly opposed the Archaeological Department's plan to apply epoxy/silicon coating on the revered Swayambhu Shri Vitthal-Rukmini Murthys in… pic.twitter.com/ue3fQLPcqF

— Sanatan Prabhat (@SanatanPrabhat) June 17, 2026

Therefore, if the administration takes a unilateral step without taking the Varkari Saints-Mahants and iconographers (experts on the subject of Idols) into confidence, there will be public outrage across Maharashtra. Still, if there is an attempt to impose a chemical coating process on the idol, we will file a petition before the Court against the ‘Shri Vitthal-Rukmini Temple Committee’ and the Archaeology Department, warned the national organizer of the Mandir Mahasangh Mr. Sunil Ghanwat, in a press conference. A memorandum in this regard has been submitted to the Chief Minister, Deputy Chief Minister, District Collector and Temple Committee.

On this occasion, H.B.P. Ramakrishna Hanumant Maharaj Veer of ‘Varkari Paik Sangh’, Presiding Dharmadhikari of ‘Pradnyapuri Dnyanpeeth Akkalkot’ Shri. Prasad Pandit, District Convenor of ‘Hindu Rashtra Samanvay Samiti’ Shri. Chandrakant Ramanshetty, Maharashtra Mandir Mahasangh’s Shri. Vinod Rasal and Hindu Janajagruti Samiti’s Shri. Rajan Bunage were present.

If Vajralep was carried out on Shri Mahalakshmi Devi’s idol at Kolhapur 10 years ago using an organic coating process, then why the insistence on a chemical coating for the idol at Pandharpur?

10 years ago, the idol of Shri Mahalakshmi Devi in Kolhapur was given a Vajralep (specific type of organic coating) by M.R. Singh, an officer of the ASI, from 22nd July to 6th August 2015. At that time, a specific mixture of the powder of the stone in which the idol of Shri Mahalakshmi Devi was made was used for coating. In this process, an organic mixture was used on the idol using Behda, extract of Bermuda grass and marking nut oil.

If the idol of Shri Mahalakshmi Devi was coated with organic coating, then why is there an insistence on chemical coating for the idol of Shri Vitthal in Pandharpur now ? If the action taken at that time was correct, then it must be incorrect to perform chemical coating now. What does the officer of the Archaeology Department, Vilas Wahane, want to achieve by insisting on expensive chemical and unscientific coating instead of organic coating done with very little funds ? There is certainly room to suspect whether this could be a conspiracy to attract more funds through this chemical process.

There is certainly room for suspicion here that this could be a conspiracy to attract more funds through this chemical process.

Applying chemical coating on idols is wrong! – Shri Swami Jagadguru Shankaracharya Peeth, Karveer

When asked about his opinion in this regard, Shri Swami Jagadguru Shankaracharya of Karveer Peeth, said, “If you apply chemical coating, then as per the saying ‘Yatha Dehe Tatha Deve’ (as to the human body, so to the the deity idol) – just as chemicals burn the human body, they will burn the idol too. Therefore, we are of the clear opinion that chemical coating should not be done.” Therefore, the question arises of whether the officials of the Archaeological Department know more than a spiritual authority like Shankaracharya.

Legal liability should be fixed before the process begins! – H.B.P. Ramakrishna Hanumant Maharaj Veer

H.B.P. Ramakrishna Hanumant Maharaj Veer of Varkari Paik Sangh said, “In the last few years, the idol has undergone chemical treatment 4 to 5 times. It is clearly evident that the idol is getting damaged as a result of these treatments. It is necessary to fix the the civil and criminal liability before undertaking any process; This being so, if any damage is caused to the idol of Vitthal or Rukmini Mata in this process, the Varkari and Hindu organizations will directly approach the Court to seek criminal action against the concerned officials and the temple committee for hurting religious sentiments and damaging national property.”