Once again a controversy has arisen in the Banke Bihari temple of Vrindavan regarding tradition versus system. After the decision of the High Powered Committee to remove Thakur ji from the sanctum sanctorum during darshan and make him sit on the Jagmohan platform, there was chaos in the temple premises. Allegations were made that the age-old puja tradition was broken, there was even talk of Thakur ji being chained in the sanctum sanctorum for some time. However, the committee gave clarification on all these allegations and said that the decision has been taken only for the convenience of the devotees and better darshan arrangements.
The committee gave this order
The High Powered Committee ordered that for crowd control and better darshan, the statue of Thakur ji should be removed from the sanctum sanctorum and placed on Jagmohan. It was also decided to implement the system of darshan through line. While one side of Goswami says that this is like “ruining” the tradition, the committee is calling it a necessary step for crowd management and convenience of the devotees.
Some devotees expressed protest against the order
Many local devotees of Vrindavan opposed this order. He says that the tradition that has been going on for centuries is being tampered with. He also says that Thakur ji was seated on a silver throne in the sanctum sanctorum, whereas the throne on which he was seated in Jagmohan was made of wood and was dilapidated. The protesters allege that if there was really concern about better darshan, then VIP darshan would have been stopped first and a permanent solution would have been found for crowd management.
Many devotees are in favor of change
However, the opinion of some local devotees is different. He says that traditions are formed and change with time. In such a situation, it is not appropriate to call the new system completely wrong. He believes that leaving aside disputes, all parties should focus on the convenience of the devotees. Devotees coming from different parts of the country say that they do not have in-depth knowledge of the tradition, but this time the darshan has become more clear and accessible to them. Many devotees coming out of the temple appreciated the arrangement.
What did committee member Dinesh Goswami say?
Dinesh Goswami, a member of the high powered committee of the temple, said in an exclusive conversation with ABP News that some of the protesting Goswami themselves have changed many traditions in the past by taking orders from the court and the current controversy is being unnecessarily fanned. Along with this, he accepted the decision of making him sit on the dilapidated wooden seat as a “hasty mistake” and assured that such a situation will not happen again in the future. Also, on the allegation of chain being placed on the door of the sanctum sanctorum, he clarified that the chain was put to prevent the Kathara from sliding back, and not to chain Thakur ji.
What is the tradition in Banke Bihari Temple of Vrindavan?
The tradition in the Banke Bihari temple of Vrindavan has been that during crowded special occasions from Rangbhari Ekadashi to Holi, Akshaya Tritiya, Janmashtami, Sharad Purnima and Hariyali Teej, Thakur ji was made to sit in Jagmohan from the sanctum sanctorum, but this time this arrangement was implemented even before Rangbhari Ekadashi and the reason given behind it was that due to the installation of railings, the darshan in the sanctum sanctorum was being hampered. At present, two factions of Goswamis are facing each other in Vrindavan. One side is calling it a tampering with tradition, while the other is calling it a step towards reforming the system. In such a situation, it has to be seen whether this dispute gets resolved through mutual dialogue or it deepens further in the coming days.