Gold ‘kalash’ worth Rs 15 crore stolen from historic Ram temple in Madhya Pradesh

Bad situation of law and order in Madhya Pradesh ! BJP can’t build Ram Mandir in Ayodhya during its rule, but also can’t protect existing Shriram temples properly ! – Editor, Hindujagruti

Massive protests erupted in Shivpuri district of Madhya Pradesh after a 50 kg gold kalash (urn) fitted atop the dome of the 300-year-old Lord Ram temple in Khaniadhana was stolen. The urn is estimated to be valued at Rs 15 crore.

The missing kalash or finial was noticed by the priest of the temple on Thursday. The temple was built by erstwhile rulers of the Khaniadhana princely state around 300 years ago. The kalash weighing around 50kg was part of the temple and has never been removed or disturbed in the last three centuries, according to the caretaker of the temple who lives in the residential wing of the structure.

The temple is located in Khaniadhana fort, which also serves as residence for the erstwhile ruling Judeo family. Khaniadhana was a small princely state located on the borders of Bundelkhand and Chambal.

Under British rule, it was part of Bundelkhand Agency and later merged with Central India Agency.

After independence, it was part of Madhya Bharat state, which later merged with Madhya Pradesh in 1956.

According to local residents, the temple inside the fort was a focal point of religious sentiments of the people and several functions were organised in the shrine throughout the year. Shailendra Pratap Singh, the scion of the royal family, who lodged the complaint with the police, told local media that the kalash was made of pure gold.

Local residents said that there had been an attempt in 2013 to steal the kalash. Police Superintendent of Shivpuri Rajesh Hingankar announced a reward of Rs 10,000 to anybody who could provide information about the theft. According to Rakesh Sharma, police inspector at Khaniadhana police station, investigators have started collecting fingerprints and other forensic evidence from the scene. However, because of rains, the dog squad and fingerprint specialists could not gather much clues.

According to police sources, the burglars used a ladder to scale the wall from the eastern side of the compound wall. The dome of the temple is around 50 feet above the ground. There were no CCTV cameras installed in the temple campus.

The 300-year-old temple, like many similar monuments of the medieval era, is not protected by archaeology department. The folklore in the region dates this temple to the 17th century when the then ruler, Khalak Singh Judeo, built this temple like the one in Orchha.

The ruling family of Khaniadhana state was an offshoot of Orchha royal family. According to folklore, the queen of Orchha, who was wife of Raja Madhukar Shah Bundela, brought the idols of Lord Ram from the legendary Ram temple in Ayodhya when it was demolished by general Mir Baqi of the Mughal army in the 16th century. She built the famous Ram-Raja temple in Orchha to shelter those idols.

The Orchha temple holds an important place in the history of Madhya Pradesh as the 70kg gold finial over the temple was stolen in 1976. It became a big political issue back then, but the theft case has remained unsolved till date. Newspapers of that period reported a helicopter was used to steal the golden kalash.

After 42 years, once again, the theft of a gold kalash from a Lord Ram temple has become a big issue in Shivpuri, which is part of Chambal region. The latest incident holds significance as the parent state of Khaniadhana is Orchha. The theft at Khaniadhana temple is similar to the incident in Orchha.

In Orchha Ram temple, the deity is worshipped as the king. The deity has been given the status of a king since it was established when the temple was constructed. A contingent of special armed force of Madhya Pradesh Police is stationed in Orchha temple, which regularly gives guard of honour to the idol of Lord Ram called Ram Raja.

Police sources said that about a year ago, repair work at the temple was carried out by the masons from Nanden in Maharashtra. The police is investigating the matter from all angles, an official said.

Meanwhile, the markets of Khaniadhana and neighbouring villages were closed as a mark of protest against the theft.

Source : The Week