Register criminal cases against those responsible in the Archaeology Department : Demand by devout Hindu organisations

Inexcusable negligence and multiple lapses by the Archaeology Department in the work under the ‘Shri Mahalakshmi Devi Temple Development Plan’!
Water leakage in the Shri Mahalakshmi Devi temple
Several smaller murtis have suffered damage to their limbs

Representatives and activists of various devout Hindu organisations attending the meeting

Kolhapur, July 23 (News) – A meeting was convened at the District Collector’s office regarding the work being carried out by the Archaeology Department under the ‘Shri Mahalakshmi Devi Temple Development Plan’. The meeting was attended by representatives of the district administration, temple administration, the Archaeology Department, public representatives and various devout Hindu organisations.

Murti conservation expert Adv. Prasanna Malekar presenting his views during the meeting

During the meeting, all the Hindu representatives expressed intense anger and strong resentment over the work carried out by the Archaeology Department. Everyone strongly demanded that criminal cases be registered against Assistant Director of Archaeology Vilas Wahane and all others responsible for these lapses. During the meeting, Vilas Wahane and the officials of the private agency appointed for the work gave evasive replies.

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After hearing everyone’s views, District Collector and Chairman of the Western Maharashtra Devasthan Management Committee Dr Vijay Rathod said, “We will ensure that the mistakes committed at the administrative level so far are not repeated in the future. After verifying the work carried out so far, an appropriate decision will be taken regarding further action.”

Shiv Sena MLA Rajesh Kshirsagar warned, “The sentiments expressed by all the devout Hindu organisations are justified, and the ongoing work must be carried out properly. The damage caused by the work carried out in the temple must certainly be investigated. Experts should be appointed wherever experts are required. All further work must be carried out strictly and properly. Water leakage in the Shri Mahalakshmi Devi temple is highly inappropriate, and such incidents will not be tolerated any further.”

Representatives of various devout Hindu organisations, social organisations and activists, including the Hindu Janajagruti Samiti, Hindu Ekta Andolan, Shiv Sena, Hindu Mahasabha, Vishwa Hindu Parishad, Maharashtra Mandir Mahasangh, priests of the Shri Mahalakshmi Devi temple and office-bearers of the Devasthan, were present at the meeting and expressed their views.

Shiv Sena MLA Rajesh Kshirsagar (wearing a pink jacket) speaking at the meeting, along with other officials present

Major objections raised by devoutHindu organisations

1. Sandblasting (a process in which sand is filled into a gun-like apparatus and forcefully blasted onto stone surfaces like a spray of water) is being used during the temple work. As a result, the ears, noses, eyes and other limbs of several small murtis have broken off. Many small murtis have been completely worn away, causing irreparable damage to them.

2. The Kalash installed on the temple last month was installed without performing any religious rituals. Neither a Shankaracharya nor any religious authority was invited for the installation of the Kalash. This was done hurriedly merely to claim credit.

3. An ancient fountain in the temple premises was demolished overnight. The temple committee has not given any satisfactory answer in this regard.

4. Several irregularities have come to light, including the use of a breaker without permission while cleaning the stones in the temple premises and workers sleeping in the Matru-ling temple.

5. During the conservation of the murtis in the temple, the murtis were not preserved properly but were instead kept in sacks.

6. Work on the Garuda Mandap has been ongoing for the past 3 years, and the deadline for the work is being extended every time.
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Vilas Wahane faces intense anger from devout Hindu organisations

After the meeting ended, Assistant Director of Archaeology Vilas Wahane faced intense anger from devout Hindu representatives. Shri Niranjan Shinde, founder of Maharaja Pratishthan, and Shri Yogesh Kerkar of Maratha Tituka Melavava expressed their anger to Vilas Wahane, saying, “You have caused enormous damage to temples and forts. The poor condition of the temples at Vishalgad is because of you. Work on several temples has been stalled because of you. You alone are entirely responsible for whatever inappropriate work is currently going on at the Shri Mahalakshmi Devi temple. Therefore, if criminal cases are not registered against you, you will face the strong response of the people of Kolhapur.”

On this occasion, the devout Hindu representatives demanded that senior Archaeology Department official Tejas Garge and Assistant Director Vilas Wahane be immediately removed from this work. They alleged that Vilas Wahane is never available to provide information and that he is responsible for every incorrect work carried out.

Inexcusable negligence by the Archaeology Department in the conservation of the Shri Mahalakshmi Devi murti! – Adv. Prasanna Malekar

Strongly objecting to the conservation work being carried out by the Archaeology Department on the Shri Mahalakshmi Devi murti, Adv. Prasanna Malekar said, “One can understand the pran being taken out of the Devi’s murti once or twice; however, the Archaeology Department is taking out the pran from the murti twice a year to carry out work on it. On some occasions, this act has even been carried out on amavasya. If it is being said that the condition of the murti is good, then why does vajralep have to be carried out twice a year ? No religious rituals whatsoever are being observed in connection with the work currently being carried out at the temple. The golden Kalash was installed without even observing an auspicious muhurat. Similarly, extremely improper conservation work is also currently being carried out at the Shri Jyotiba Devasthan. A separate meeting should be convened for this purpose.”

Open the Manikarnika Kund to devotees at the earliest ! – Shivanand Swami, Hindu Janajagruti Samiti

On this occasion, Shivanand Swami of the Hindu Janajagruti Samiti said, “The administration committed the extremely inappropriate act of filling up the extremely ancient and sacred Manikarnika Kund and constructing a toilet over it. Work to reopen this Kund has been ongoing for several years, but it is being delayed. The Kund should be opened to devotees at the earliest.”