Former mahant’s family kept out of KVDham’s ‘Panchbadan Shringar’ tradition

Varanasi: Amid accusations by family of former Mahant late Kulpati Tiwari that a 350 years old tradition had been broken, Kashi Vishwanath temple trust and administration performed the ‘Panchbadan Shringar’ on the concluding day of the Shrawan month on Monday, without involving Tiwari’s family members.
Temple authorities said since two groups of the former Mahant’s family had claimed the right to conduct the ritual, the temple decided to continue the tradition on its own, instead of becoming part of a family dispute.On the other hand, Tiwari’s son and other family members termed the temple’s stance as an attempt to break centuries-old tradition. UP Congress Committee chief Ajay Rai too condemned the decision of the temple authorities.
Meanwhile, as per tradition of the KV temple of worshipping the Panchbadan idol (movable metallic idol) on the concluding day of the Shrawan month, a grand religious procession was taken out on the KV Dham complex amidst the beats of Damru and blowing conch shells. The idol was carried in a decorated palanquin. Later, in the presence of the temple’s chief executive officer Vishwa Bhushan Mishra, temple trust’s Prof Chandramauli Upadhyaya, former Mahant’s brother Lokpati Tiwari, his son and others, prayers were offered to the Panchbadan idol by 11 Vedic scholars and priests of the temple. A heavy police force was deployed at the Tedhineem residence of former Mahant late Kulpati Tiwari, who died in Jun last year, to foil any attempt by his family members and followers to carry out the Shobhayatra with the Panchbadan idol. Officials requested them to avoid carrying out the Shobhayatra towards the temple to avoid controversy or disturbance.
The family of the former Mahant performed the Panchbadan Shringar rituals at their home. His son Vachaspati Tiwari said that for 358 years there was a tradition of carrying out the Shobhayatra from their residence to take the Panchbadan idol inside the KV temple and hold ‘Jhoola Shringar’ on the concluding day of Shrawan. Temple administration broke this tradition this year, he said.
Wife of the former Mahant, Mohini Devi, started a hunger strike and said, “Condoling the demise of my husband, PM Narendra Modi termed him a bearer of traditions of the KV temple and Kashi, but district and temple administration deprived our family of the tradition.” ACP Dashaswamedh Pragya Pathak arrived and requested her to break the fast, given her age and health condition. After repeated requests, she agreed to call off the stir but warned if no written assurance was given to her family to continue all traditions within a week, she would go on fast-unto-death. The temple said that after the families of the former Mahant and his brother were relocated from their old home during the rejuvenation of KV Dham, they wereclaiming possession of the Panchbadan Shringar idol. The temple allowed the Mahant’s family to continue the tradition while he was alive and even last year after his death in Jun, they said, but after his demise, claims from other groups were also raised to carry out the tradition. Since the temple did not want get embroiled in this family dispute, it decided to continue the tradition of Panchbadan Shringar on its own, they added.