The world famous Mahakal temple in Ujjain, Madhya Pradesh, is once again at the centre of a row over its darshan arrangements. Workers of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad and Bajrang Dal staged a vigorous protest inside the temple complex against the VIP culture and the alleged mistreatment of devotees. The demonstrators have demanded that the temple administration fix the arrangements so that ordinary devotees are not put through hardship.
The protest took place on Tuesday, when workers of both organisations gathered in large numbers at the Shankh Dwar of the Mahakal temple. They raised slogans and opened a front against the current system. The workers alleged that in recent days security personnel at the temple had behaved rudely with devotees and even assaulted them, which has been fuelling growing anger among the faithful.
Long Waits for Ordinary Devotees, Priority for VIPs
The biggest question the protesters raised was over the VIP protocol. They said that because special arrangements are made for select people, common devotees are forced to stand in long queues for hours just to get darshan. The workers also loudly raised complaints of fraud being committed with devotees in the name of the Bhasma Aarti and the darshan arrangements.
Questions Over the Live Darshan Broadcast
The workers also voiced their displeasure over the temple's live darshan broadcast. According to them, the temple committee did not restore the facility within the fixed time frame, which has left devotees dissatisfied. During the protest, they demanded that the temple administration put in place a transparent system that works in the interest of devotees.
What the VHP Office-Bearer Said
Vishwa Hindu Parishad district minister Jaswant Singh Thakur said bluntly that the VIP culture at the Mahakal temple must come to an end. He said ordinary devotees are having to face needless difficulties during darshan. He also warned that if the arrangements are not improved, the Vishwa Hindu Parishad and Bajrang Dal will continue their agitation in a phased manner.
Temple Administration Stays Silent
For now, no official response has come from the temple administration after the protest. However, the questions raised over the darshan arrangements and the VIP protocol have once again pushed the Mahakal temple's management into the spotlight.
