“Other religions’ places of worship are not under government control; Hindu temples must be freed from government control!” – Pujya Ramgiri Maharaj, Ahilyanagar
Shirdi – In challenging circumstances, saints have preserved the culture of temples. In the present times, Hindus visit pilgrimage sites, but if the sanctity of these places is destroyed, they ignore them. Spirituality should be within every breath and every drop of blood. If Hindus remain inactive regarding their Dharma, life will become difficult in the future. Despite transactions worth billions of rupees, not a single mosque or church in India is under government control. Places of worship of other religions are not controlled by the government, but why are Hindu temples under government control? Therefore, Pujya Ramgiri Maharaj, the head of Sadguru Gangagiri Maharaj Institution in Ahilyanagar, demanded that Hindu temples be freed from government control. He was speaking at the opening day of the Third ‘Maharashtra Mandir Nyas Parishad (Maharashtra Temple Trust Conference)’, organized at Shri Sai Palkhi Niwara, Shirdi, by the Maharashtra Mandir Mahasangh, Shri Jivdani Devi Sansthan, Shri Jyotirling Bhimashankar Devasthan, Shri Sai Palkhi Niwara, and the Hindu Janajagruti Samiti. Over 750 invited trustees, representatives, priests, lawyers fighting for the protection of temples, scholars, and others from across Maharashtra participated in this conference.
The conference began with a lighting of the lamp by Pujya Ramesh Giri Maharaj of Shri Kshetra Bet Kopargaon (Maungiri Ji Maharaj Samadhi Temple), Pujya Raghveshwaranand Giri Maharaj, Head of Shri Kshetra Raghveshwar Devasthan, Sadguru Satyavan Kadam of Sanatan Sanstha, Shri Girish Shah, President of Samast Mahajan Sangh, Shri Pradeep Tendolkar, President of Shri Jivdani Devi Sansthan, and Shri Sunil Ghanwat, National Organizer of Mandir Mahasangh. Following this, Sadguru Satyavan Kadam read a message from H.H. Dr. Jayant Athawale, founder of Sanatan Sanstha, which emphasized, “To truly bring Ram Rajya to India, it is essential for each temple to revive the temple culture necessary for the protection of the nation and religion.”
Welcome Address : Shri Pradeep Tendolkar welcomed the attendees, stating, “The preservation of temples is the work of God, and it is by God’s grace that we have come together for this cause. The work done by the Maharashtra Mandir Mahasangh in the last 3 years has been remarkable. This conference provides a platform for all trustees to come together.”
Functional Review of the Federation’s Work: The National Organizer of the Mandir Mahasangh, Shri Sunil Ghanwat, gave a review of the Mahasangh’s activities. He further remarked, “In the Lok Sabha elections, religious extremists determined their strategy in mosques. They issued fatwas about who to vote for. Then, why can’t the strategy for Hinduism and the nation be decided in temples?” He stressed that if thousands of trustees unite and demand the liberation of temples from government control, the government will have no choice but to grant it. He urged all trustees to think about how ‘Hindu unity can be achieved from their temples,’ as temples can also provide security to Hindus in the future.
“Only through temples can we create a nation-loving generation!”
Shri Girish Shah : “About a month ago, I visited the Swaminarayan Temple in Abu Dhabi. The arrangements there were excellent, and 10,000 to 20,000 pilgrims visit daily. Additionally, knowledge about culture and values is imparted. In fact, this knowledge has always been with us. Books from ancient universities like Nalanda and Takshashila, along with our Vedas, Yoga, justice system, mathematics, and Ayurveda, all originated from our temple culture. In ancient Indian culture, Hindu temples were the gurukuls and educational centers. What is the situation now? We only claim that ‘this temple is ours,’ but there is nothing around it. We need to come out of this situation. Temples must provide the facility to conduct 15 out of 16 sacramental rites. If rites like Garbhadhan are conducted in temples, the future generations will grow up to be patriotic,” said Shri Girish Shah, President of Samast Mahajan Sangh, Mumbai.
“The protection of temples is a collective responsibility of every Hindu!”
Pujya Ramesh Giri Maharaj, Kopargaon : “In the current scenario, the proper management and preservation of monasteries, temples, and deities are the objectives of the Maharashtra Mandir Nyas Parishad. Sanatan Sanstha is also working for this cause. All Hindus must set aside their personal interests. Temples are collective centers of worship for Hindus, where group prayers, bhajans, and recitations are conducted. The destruction of such temples is an attack on Hinduism. Therefore, all Hindus should unite to raise the flag of Sanatan culture and work towards protecting temples,” appealed Pujya Ramesh Giri Maharaj of Shri Kshetra Bet Kopargaon (Maungiri Ji Maharaj Samadhi Temple) during the conference.
Temple Scholar Shri. Sandeep Singh said, : “It is essential to understand that temples are not a means of earning income but are centers of devotion. Temples are the backbone of our economy. While many industrial cities around the world are declining, cities with pilgrimage centers like Ujjain, Pataliputra, Rameswaram, and Kashi have remained alive for thousands of years because they were all dependent on the economy of temples. The economy of this country stands on temples.”
“Temples should also take up the role of protecting religion alongside imparting religious education!”
Sadguru Swati Khadye, Sanatan Sanstha : “Temples have played a significant role in transforming Hindu society from birth-Hindus to practicing-Hindus. Temples are the foundation of Hinduism. Therefore, in the context of protecting religion, some actions should be taken by temples according to their capacity. This foundation will truly stand strong when temples take concrete steps in the protection of religion and spread awareness. If temples are to become centers for religious education in the future, it is essential for them to also take on the role of protecting religion,” said Sadguru Swati Khadye of Sanatan Sanstha.
Key Dignitaries Present: Shri Ranjit Sawant, Chairman of Swatantraveer Savarkar Rashtriya Smarak, Mumbai; Shri Bhauseheb Waghchoure, MP from Shirdi constituency; Shri Suresh Kaudre, Advocate of Shri Jyotirling Bhimashankar Devasthan; Former Charity Commissioner Shri Dilip Deshmukh; Shri Tushar Kawde, Vice-President of Shri Vighnahar Ganpati Devasthan Trust from Ozar; Shri Ashok Devaram Ghegade, Manager; Shri Rajendra Khede, Trustee of Jejuri; Mrs. Sangeeta Tai Thakar, Trustee of Kasba Ganapati, Pune; Shri Tushar Patil, Trustee of Ranjangaon.
On this occasion, Shri Bhauseheb Waghchoure, MP from Shirdi, stated, “In the past few years, I have renovated over 550 temples, and I have decided to continue the restoration of more temples in the future.”
Special Incident at the Conference: The desecration of the idol at Shri Mahadev Temple near Punatamba, Shirdi, was condemned at the conference, and a demand for strict action against the culprits was made to the state government.
