‘In charge’ of Shri Vitthal-Rukmini Mandir Samiti once again interferes in ritualistic worship of Lord Vitthal !
Solapur (Maharashtra) : ‘Mahapuja’ which generally takes 5 hours and performed on the day of ‘Ashadhi Ekadashi’ is going to be cut down to 1 and half hours this year. Claiming that the Chief Minister Devendra Fadanvis has granted permission for the above proposal, District Collector Tukaram Mundhe who is also President (In-charge) of Shri Vitthal-Rukmini Mandir Samiti has continued interference in temple’s ritualistic worship. (Since when have the rulers started deciding about duration of performing ‘puja’ ? cutting down time of 5 hours of ‘puja’ to 1 and half hours is reducing the piety of ‘Mahapuja’ of Vitthal. Such decisions should be taken by Dharmacharyas and not District collectors. Will these rulers and its administrative staff take decision on how long prayers should be made in a church or how long ‘namaz’ should be read in a mosque ? Hindus should realize shortening period of ‘Mahapuja’ will not give its expected benefits to Hindus and they should take the Government to task in lawful manner ! – Editor, Dainik Sanatan Prabhat) Mundhe did not forget to inform that cutting down of ‘puja’-time will enable more than 80,000 Warkaris to have ‘darshan’ of Shri Vitthal.
1. During the period of 5 hours, 3 types of ‘puja’ used to be performed in different manner. ‘Mantras’ recited used to be the same but person performing ‘puja’ used to be different.
2. The temples used to be closed at 12.00 midnight for such ‘puja’.
3. ‘Puja’ between 1.00 a.m. to 2.30 a.m. used to be performed by ‘Khajagiwale’; at 2.30 a.m. puja by Government and at 4.00 a.m. two devotees used to perform ‘puja’. This year, the Mandir Samiti has put a stop to ‘puja’ by Khajagiwale giving excuse of time.
4. Now, the other 2 ‘puja’ will be performed together.
If Samiti is so much concerned about devotees, stop puja by Government ! – Bhagavatacharya V. N. Utpat
Regarding District Collector’s decision, Bhagavatacharya V. N. Utpat said, “Khajagiwale were Peshwa’s Sardar. This family performing ‘puja’ has tradition of hundreds of years and the tradition of performing ‘puja’ by State Chief Minister was started from Shri. Manohar Joshi’s regime; therefore, if the District Collector is so much concerned about devotees, ‘puja’ performed by CM should be stopped and not by Khajagiwale because there is huge security staff and a dog-squad etc. when CM performs ‘puja’ which inconveniences devotees who are waiting outside. If this ‘puja’ by CM is stopped, it will really help devotees. Moreover, changing pattern of ‘puja’ performed in temple is a breach of ‘Pandharpur Temple Act 1971’.The District Collector is unnecessarily creating problems.”
Source : Dainik Sanatan Prabhat
