SC Raises Concern Over ‘Influential People’ Performing Special Pujas at Banke Bihari Temple

The Supreme Court on Monday expressed displeasure with people in important positions being allowed to conduct special pujas at the well-known Banke Bihari Temple in Vrindavan, which affects the sleep of Lord Banke Bihari. "In a way, if the deity is not being allowed to have their sleep, people in important positions are being allowed to conduct special pujas," observed Chief Justice Surya Kant, hearing the matter.

"This observation was made when the Thakur Banke Bihari Ji Maharaj Temple Management Committee was arguing in opposition to the change in timings of 'darshan.' However, a notice was issued to the court-appointed High Powered Management Committee and State of Uttar Pradesh on a petition filed by the Thakur Banke Bihari Ji Maharaj Temple Management Committee."

The petition challenges certain decisions of the High Powered Committee, including the extension of the temple's darshan timings and the ban on dehri puja. The court will hear the matter again in the first week of January. On Monday, the matter was listed for hearing before a bench comprising Chief Justice Surya Kant, Joymalya Bagchi, and Vipul M. Pancholi.

Senior advocate Shyam Divan, representing the petitioner, objected to the change in darshan timings, arguing that the darshan puja timings are part of a long tradition and are a sensitive issue. Changing temple timings is tantamount to changing temple rituals, such as when the deity will wake up in the morning and when it will sleep at night.