Nashik Priests Cautious Over Supreme Court Order On Pandharpur Temple
NASHIK, INDIA, January 20, 2014 (Times Of India): The priests in major temples in Nashik are cautious over reacting to the Supreme Court (SC) dismissal of the plea challenging the provisions of the Pandharpur Temples Act, 1973. On Wednesday, the SC dismissed the petition that challenged the constitutional validity of certain provisions in the Act, which the petitioners claimed had abolished all their hereditary rights and privileges in connection with the temples of Vitthal and Rukmini at Pandharpur.
Devendra Pujari, the priest at Kalaram Mandir, pointed out that affairs of most of the major temples in the district were being handled by trusts, except for performing the pujas of the respective deities. These trusts were headed by a district judge. “It will be difficult to find similarity in the case between the Pandharpur Temple and the Kalaram Temple. Nevertheless, the rights of the priests have to be maintained and they are being honoured in Nashik,” Pujari said.
Pandurang Bodke, trustee of the Kalaram Mandir, said that the public trust registered with the charity commissioner had taken charge of the temple in the 1960s and has been organising all events since. “The trust is responsible for carrying out all activities including maintenance, repairs and events from the public fund. The priests are given 48% of the share of the funds that are collected in donation box,” Bodke said.
